Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 October 2011
159 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will advise of his future proposals for the vocational education committee offices in County Longford; and if he will consider opening a sub-office for the new amalgamated Longford Westmeath VEC at this location. [30945/11]
View answer160 Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Education and Skills if he will be seeking any redundancies following the amalgamating of Longford and Westmeath vocational education committees. [30946/11]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 159 and 160 together.
In determining Mullingar as a headquarter location, I was aware that both Co. Westmeath and Co. Longford VECs are very closely matched. However, I am satisfied that geographically Mullingar is the most favourable location for the headquarters. I expect that headquarters staff of Co. Longford VEC will move to the designated headquarters location in Mullingar as soon as feasible, although, a sub-office will be maintained in Longford for the immediate term in order to facilitate an orderly merger. The detail in relation to the use or disposal of existing property interests in Longford, following the move of staff to the newly designated headquarters in Mullingar, will be worked through by my Department in conjunction with the VECs involved and the new merged body when established.
Staff employed in the VEC headquarters are public servants and under the terms of the Croke Park agreement, such staff employed in a permanent capacity cannot be made compulsorily redundant. However, surplus staff may be redeployed. In common with all areas of the public service, VECs are subject to an Employment Control Framework (ECF). This places an upper limit on the number of staff which a public service organisation can have. Both VECs have each been set ECF targets to be achieved by the end of 2011. Redeployment arrangements to bring about the staffing reductions required to meet ECF limits will be agreed in accordance with the principles of the Croke Park agreement and will involve the unions representative of the grades concerned.
