Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 5 May 1993

Vol. 430 No. 3

Written Answers. - Sligo Regional Technical College.

Jim Higgins

Ceist:

13 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Minister for Education if she has satisfied herself that the nominations of members to the governing body of Sligo Regional Technical College represent the various interest groups and that the nominations were carried out in accordance with the spirit of the establishing legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Gay Mitchell

Ceist:

17 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Education if she has satisfied herself that the nominations of members to the governing body of Sligo Regional Technical College represent the various interest groups and that the nominations were carried out in accordance with the spirit of the establishing legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Pádraic McCormack

Ceist:

47 Mr. McCormack asked the Minister for Education if she has satisfied herself that the nominations of members to the governing body of Sligo Regional Technical College represent the various interest groups and that the nominations were carried out in accordance with the spirit of the establishing legislation; and if she will make a statement on the matter.

Minister for Education (Ms Bhreathnach)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 17 and 47 together.

The Regional Technical Colleges Act, 1992, specifies in detail the various groupings which shall have representation in the Governing Body of each College and sets out the respective roles of the Minister and the relevant Vocational Education Committees in the appointment, recommendation and nomination of the representatives of the various groups mentioned in the Act.

As the Deputy is aware:

—six ordinary members are nominated directly by the relevant Vocational Education Committees and recommended to the Minister for appointment.

—five representatives are nominated by organisations (representative of industry, commerce, agriculture, the professions and other interests as appropriate to the activities of the College) which the vocational education committee consider require representation under 6 (4) (g) of the Act and these nominations are recommended to the Minister by the Vocational Education Committees.

—one person is nominated by the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and recommended to the Minister by the Vocational Education Committee.

—in the first Governing Body, the Minister may appoint five ordinary members and these appointments have been three staff and two students in accordance with the spirit of Section 6 (4) (c), 6 (4) (d), and 6 (4) (e), of the Act.

The appointments to Sligo Regional Technical College have been made in accordance with these procedures.

My Department has taken all possible steps, within the provisions of the Act, to ensure that appointments to the Governing Bodies fully comply with the provisions of the legislation.

As I indicated at the outset the respective roles of the Minister and the vocational education committee's are clearly defined in the legislation. The relevant Vocational Education Committees have the responsibility under the Act to ensure that they carry out the functions assigned to them in accordance with the spirit of the legislation, particularly in relation to the selection of the various organisations under section 6 (4) (g).

I will, of course, be reviewing with my Department the overall position, in light of the experience gained to date, prior to making appointments to the new Governing Bodies of the Colleges at the end of this year.

I have to say, however, that one area which I am unhappy with is the level of representation of women on Governing Bodies generally.

The legislation contains the very welcome provision that the Minister in making appointments shall have regard to the extent to which each gender is represented. I am aware that my predecessor sought very hard to ensure an appropriate gender balance in the process of making appointments. However I am not happy with the level of representation of women and this is a matter which I will be pursuing vigorously, in the context of the provisions in the Act, prior to making appointments to the new Governing Bodies at the end of this year.