Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 27 Feb 2003

Vol. 562 No. 3

Written Answers - Vocational Education Committees.

James Breen

Ceist:

17 Mr. J. Breen asked the Minister for Education and Science if no elected member will be on the interview boards of the vocational education committees in the interest of openness and transparency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5753/03]

Minister for Education and Science (Mr. N. Dempsey)

Circular 43/00 issued by my Department in November 2000 sets out the agreed selection procedures, including the composition of the selection board, for the appointment and promotion of teachers in vocational schools.

In the case of appointment as permanent or temporary wholetime teacher, as special duties teacher, assistant principal, deputy principal and, in schools of under 500 full-time day pupils, as principal, the composition of the selection board shall be one VEC representative – to be a member of the committee, one education expert and one personnel expert. All members of the selection board must be present.

In the case of the appointment as principal in schools with a full-time day enrolment of 500 pupils or more, the selection board shall be two VEC representatives – to be members of the VEC, one inspector of the Department of Education and Science, one education expert and one personnel expert. The quorum in this case will be four but must include the inspector. In the case of appointment of a catechetics teacher, the education expert may be nominated by the diocesan authority. Normally an expert will be drawn from a list of nominations from the VEC concerned and the TUI.

The selection board for appointment of eligible part-time teachers will be the chief executive or deputed officer, a principal or centre director as appropriate and a representative of the VEC. However, the selection board for appointment as a permanent teacher may also be used for the selection of eligible part-time teachers.

There are agreed criteria and a marking scheme for appointment to assistant principal and special duties teacher posts. The object of the selection board will be to select the most suitable candidate for the post. The selection board is required to adopt the agreed criteria and marking scheme when determining their order of merit for submission to the VEC. An unsuccessful applicant may submit an appeal against the proposed appointment to an independent arbitrator on the grounds that the agreed criteria and marking scheme were not applied by the selection board. No appointment is made pending the outcome of the appeal. If the appeal is upheld by the arbitrator, a new competition must be held. If the appeal is rejected, the successful candidate shall be appointed.

I am satisfied that the agreed selection procedures for the appointment and promotion of teachers in vocational schools is open and fair. Having a public representative, who is answerable to the public, on a board enhances openness and transparency. Circular 43/00 provides for a review of these procedures.

Two meetings have been held between representatives of my Department, the Irish vocational education association and the Teachers' Union of Ireland for this purpose. A further meeting will be held in the near future with a view to agreeing any revisions in the procedures considered necessary. When agreement is reached, a circular authorising the implementation of the revised procedures will be issued.