Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)

I regret the delay in the process being put in place to identify and hire the 16 new CEOs who will head up the new local education and training boards. Their role is central. We have had some talks and I hope this matter will be completed as soon as possible. When those 16 new CEOs are in place, it will be up to them to drive the process. I know some Members were concerned or disappointed that there was no designated sub-office in their part of the constituency. The only reason to have a designated sub-office was to ensure that the arrangements we were bringing into place with these 16 new entities would comply with the terms and conditions of the Croke Park agreement. It is not an evaluation of the need for an educational office in a particular town or a particular part of the county. For example, by locating the new head office of the Louth and Meath local education and training board in Drogheda, the head offices in Dundalk and Navan were within the 45 km distance so there was no need to designate a sub-office, but in some of the other areas there is such a need.

This is being done purely for the purposes of implementing the rationalisation and integration of training boards in a manner that would make it compliant with the Croke Park agreement. It will be for the new CEO to decide what offices to maintain and operate across the territory of the new local education and training board.

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