Paul Connaughton (Galway East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am thankful for the opportunity to speak to the Bill. Change is always a difficult but necessary process, and the change represented by this Bill is both difficult and necessary. In the end it will result in a much more streamlined training system, with significant savings to the Exchequer. For over 80 years, vocational education committees, VECs, have been a vital cog in the wheel of education in Ireland, providing a range of vocational education options from secondary schools throughout the country, including the Vocational Training Opportunities Scheme and many night classes. The vocational schools or community colleges currently educate almost a quarter of all mainstream post-primary pupils and given the increasing importance to the community school sector, where they are co-patrons with religious authorities, the VECs are very significant.

One may also consider the important role of post-leaving certificate courses and Youthreach programmes throughout the country, making it apparent that this sector is a significant player in Irish education. When the VECs were established in 1930, there were 38 bodies, and this was reduced to 33 in the 1990s. This Bill will see the creation of 16 education and training boards to replace those VECs. The Bill also represents a major step in legislation underpinning the new boards, as the current Bill will replace nine existing Vocational Education Acts.

A number of benefits will arise from the streamlining of the education and training boards, not least the reform of human resources and the savings arising from that. The current Bill will also end the statutory inquiry system used in removing a VEC member of staff from office. The annual planning process will also be greatly enhanced. Currently, each of the 33 VECs produces education plans and the newly created education training boards will publish annual strategy statements.

The new boards will also result in savings to members, given the reduced numbers of members nationally. These boards will comprise 18 members, with ten being local authority representatives, along with representatives of staff, parents and community business interests. I note that although the Bill provides for gender equality in the case of parent and community representatives, it does not do so with regard to local authority or staff members.

The increased focus on community and business interests is welcome and, hopefully, will result in increased tailoring of vocational courses to meet the needs of the business community. Given the investment the new boards will make in education, it is imperative that benefits accrue to local business, in particular to business in the small and medium-sized sector.

The new education and training boards will have a much expanded role in implementing Government policy on further education. The new boards will also absorb a large number of FÁS staff. I also note that in the coming months, this Government will bring forward legislation to provide for the establishment of a new training authority, SOLAS, which will see the dissolution of FÁS and the transfer of training schemes to the newly established boards.

Another welcome development is the streamlining of the various awarding bodies. The new qualifications and quality assurance authority of Ireland will replace a range of bodies, including FETAC, HETAC, the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland and the Irish Universities Quality Board. Once again, this change should result in significant savings in regard to human resources, physical resources and other costs. The Bill provides for the establishment of scholarships and also the provision of education at the request of any body which funds training out of the money provided by the Oireachtas.

Effective monitoring of the new boards will be key to their success. I am glad to note that the Minister will have the power to direct a board, which is not working effectively, to take certain actions and may also require another board to carry out the functions of the board under investigation. In the event that a board fails to comply, the Minister has the power to transfer the board's functions to the CEO or another person for up to two years and the Minister can also order removal of all members of a board from office. Where a board is dissolved, its functions can be transferred to another person on the passing of an order by the Houses of the Oireachtas.

The subject of VEC rationalisation was discussed at the Committee of Public Accounts in January and on that occasion, the Comptroller and Auditor General noted that the VECs had a combined expenditure of €1.1 billion in 2009 and that headquarter functions cost €40 million, mainly comprising pay. The Minister has estimated that the merging of 33 VECs into 16 will save approximately €3.2 million annually and additional savings could be made via the disposal of property. Some 13 of 33 existing VECs own their own premises and the remaining 20 are leased. The decision whether to sell existing premises will rest with the CEOs of the new training boards.

The new education and training boards provided for in this Bill will provide proper structures for the delivery of targeted educational programmes to a wide range of students and will also provide much needed savings to the State from the timely and sensible provisions in this Bill.

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