Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 21 Mar 2001

Vol. 533 No. 1

Written Answers. - Vocational Education Colleges.

Trevor Sargent

Ceist:

142 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Education and Science the actions, including guidelines, he has implemented to achieve gender balance at all levels in vocational education colleges administration and management. [8308/01]

Minister for Education and Science (Dr. Woods)

Responsibility for the administration and management of vocational education colleges is a function of vocational education committees.

Guidelines issued by my Department provide for the establishment by vocational education committees of boards of management for schools in their schemes. The guidelines provide that boards should be comprised of four members of the vocational education committee and two parents, one of whom shall be a mother, of children receiving education in the school.

In relation to selection boards, the agreed selection procedures for the appointment and promotion of teachers in vocational schools specify that there shall be gender representation and in the case of five person boards every effort should be made to have at least two of each gender on the board.

The Vocational Education (Amendment) Bill 2000, which is before the House, aims to ensure membership of vocational education committees is representative of local authorities, parents, VEC staff and other local interests. The issues that arise in this context, including the issue of gender balance, are complex and call for careful consideration. While in practical terms this is a matter that should be best addressed at local level, it will be open to the Minister, in consultation with appropriate interests, to make regulations providing for members of both sexes to be appointed where gender balance is not being addressed.