asked the Minister for Education if her attention has been drawn to a statement by the General Secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland in relation to elected representatives sitting on interview boards; and if she will make a statement on the matter.
Written Answers. - Interview Boards.
279.
I am aware of newspaper reports concerning the statement made by the General Secretary of the Teachers' Union of Ireland about the selection and appointment procedures for vocational teachers.
The selection and appointment procedures for appointment of teachers in second level vocational schools were reviewed in 1979 and the current procedures are as set out in my Department's Circular Letter 16/79, the contents of which are set out below.
In the case of appointments to teaching posts in third level VEC colleges, other than to the post of principal in the regional technical colleges, the arrangements which have been authorised provide for selection boards of at least three and not more than five members. The five member boards should consist of the chief executive officer of the parent vocational education committee, three other members of the board of management, at least one of whom would be a member of a vocational education committee, and the Minister's nominee.
The composition of selection boards for appointments to the post of principal in a third level VEC college is set out in Appendix K of Memorandum V7, which is set out below.
Following is the circular:
5. The General Selection Board referred to in paragraph 4 is to be set up by each Vocational Education Committee for all wholetime appointments.
—to Class III teaching posts,
—to posts of Principal in schools with points ratings up to and including 299 points,
—to posts of Vice-Principal in schools with points ratings up to and including 599 points,
—to all Grade 3 posts of responsibility.
The Central Selection Board referred to in paragraph 4 is to be set up by each Vocational Education Committee for appointment
—to posts of Principal in schools with points ratings in excess of 299 points,
—to posts of Vice-Principal in schools with points ratings in excess of 599 points,
—to all Grade A posts of responsibility.
6. The adoption by Vocational Education Committees of the provisions of this Circular Letter should be formally recorded. Proposed appointments after its adoption will be approved only where these provisions have been complied with.
D. Ó LAOGHAIRE,
Rúnaí.
Following is Appendix K of the memorandum:
Text of letter issued personally by the Minister for Education, Mr. Donogh O'Malley, T.D., to the Chairman of each Vocational Education Committee on 7th March, 1967.
A Chathaoirligh, a Chara,
I wish to refer to the letter addressed to all Vocational Education Committees on 20 Eanáir, 1967 regarding the question of the improvement of the procedure followed in connection with the appointment of vocational teachers.
I have given careful consideration to the observations which have been furnished by Committees in reply to that letter. The matter has been further discussed by officers of my Department with representatives of the Irish Vocational Education Association and of the Association of Chief Executive Officers. I have also had a further discussion personally with representatives of the Irish Vocational Education Association.
I appreciate very much the manner in which this matter has been approached by Committees and by the Associations. I have been impressed by the views which have been put before me and have taken account of them in formulating amendments to the proposals contained in the letter of 20 Eanair, 1967.
The amended procedure is set out as follows:—
(a) for all permanent whole-time Class III appointments, for all Special Grade appointments and for all appointments to teaching posts carrying allowances of less than £280 per annum:—
each Committee to set up as from 1st April, 1967, a selection board of five members consisting of four named members of the Committee and one officer of the Department of Education who will be nominated by the Minister; this board to act for one year and to be assisted by the Chief Executive Officer as a non-voting advisor and by such other non-voting advisors as it may desire in particular cases.
(b) for all appointments to teaching posts carrying allowances of £280 per annum and over, for all appointments to posts as Higher Technological Teacher, Grade III and for all appointments to posts carrying inclusive salaries above that level:— each Committee to nominate four of its members to serve for one year as from 1st April, 1967, on a central selection board of seven members, the other three members of the Board to consist of one representative of the Irish Vocational Education Association and two officers of the Department of Education who will be nominated by the Minister; the latter three members to be permanent members and the four Committee representatives to sit according to the vocational education area for which the appointments are to be made; the central board to be assisted by advisors as at (a) above; secretarial service for this board to be provided by the Department if desired.
It is envisaged that Vocational Education Committees, having adopted the procedure outlined above, should not find it necessary to proceed in full committee to duplicate the work of the selection boards and that in the normal way they should make their appointments in accordance with the selections of the boards. I therefore desire it to be understood that this will be the normal procedure.
I should like to add that in the introduction of the procedure outlined above it is my desire to facilitate the exercise by Committees of their growing responsibilities and to make more time available to them in committee so as to enable them the better to cope with the many new developments in secondary and technical education. I trust, therefore, that I will have the co-operation of all Committees in the implementation of the amended procedure for an experimental period as from 1st April, 1967. It is my intention that this procedure be adopted by all Vocational Education Committees and that proposed appointments after its adoption will be approved only in accordance with its provisions.
Mise, le meas,
(Signed) DONOGH O'MALLEY.