Paddy Burke (Fine Gael)

I am disappointed the Minister of State came here to outline this as a fait accompli. Like my colleague, Senator O'Reilly, I would like to know the timeframe. The Minister of State mentioned a period of 18 months.

Will the Minister of State tell the House the difference in savings between the McCarthy report recommendation of a reduction to 22 VECs and the Government's proposal of a reduction to 16? I am disappointed the Government will introduce such a rationalisation while in the Minister's home county, County Donegal VEC will be the only one to remain fully intact. Will County Donegal VEC be the smallest in the country? The Minister of State said the smallest VEC will have a budget of €39 million.

I have always been an advocate of primary schools being brought under the auspices of the VECs. Such a system would lead to accountability. Heretofore, national schools have received a budget from the Department of Education and Skills, the accounts are sent to the patron and that is where it ends. VECs have elected members and I hope the Minister of State will spell out what will be the number of elected members on the new VECs. They are the only people fully accountable to the public by way of the ballot box.

The report of an bord snip nua recommended a reduction to 22 VECs on the basis of county boundaries. It also recommended a reduction through amalgamation of local authorities. Under such a system, north and south Tipperary would be together. Under the proposal presented by the Minister of State, County Tipperary will be divided between Limerick and Waterford. I do not know how the people of Tipperary will take this. I am sure the way forward would have been for the two bodies in Tipperary to have been amalgamated.

We need more information on the number of schools and students involved in each VEC. Will the Minister return to the House on another occasion and provide Members with more detail on the number of teachers, students and schools in each of the 33 VECs? We might then be better informed on the decision made by the Minister.