asked the Minister for Education the number of (a) full-time and (b) part-time teachers employed by VECs.
Written Answers. - VEC Teachers
436.
There were 5,995 full-time teachers employed by vocational education committees on 1 December 1978, the latest date for which such statistics are available.
Information is not available in the Department as to the actual number of teachers employed by vocational education committees in a part-time capacity, but it is estimated that the number of full-time equivalents of part-time teachers for the 1978-79 session was 938.
437.
asked the Minister for Education if he will examine the position of part-time VEC teachers with particular emphasis on their lack of rights to holiday pay including church holidays during school terms, and if he will allocate them privileges proportionate to the amount of work involved.
Representations in this matter were made by part-time teachers employed by a particular vocational education committee. My Department were in consultation with the Department of Labour in relation to it. I understand that the Department of Labour have communicated with the vocational education committee and the teachers concerned in connection with the question of the application of the provisions of the Holidays (Employees) Act 1973 to such teachers.
Other aspects of the matter are still under examination and I am not in a position to make a statement in regard to them at present.