Paschal Mooney (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I am glad that the Minister has referred to the configuration of which we are part. It is the one anomaly in the legislation and I ask my colleagues to consider Leitrim, Sligo and Mayo together as a geographical entity. On the basis of the current legislation the appointment by the national board could end up with a parent in Westport being nominated as one of the parents' representatives and he or she would then have to consider how to adequately represent the interests of the parents and pupils of Carrigallen Vocational School which is on the Cavan-Leitrim border, half a country away. Is easier to reach Dublin as it is nearer in terms of location.

I wish to record my appreciation of the Minister's willingness to debate these intricate issues, particularly those related to counties Leitrim and Sligo. With the exception of the Dublin City and Cork City County, it is the only configuration that involves three local authority areas. It is not just about the numbers but the sheer geographical entity that has now been created that will create enormous difficulties. Let me outline one example. Senator Power tabled an amendment that sought a local ballot. Such a provision would go some but not the whole way towards addressing the issue. I have argued that there should be, in the case of this configuration, at least a minimum of one parents representative from each of the counties. That would ensure that the scenario I have outlined would not happen as there would be one parents' representative each for Leitrim, Sligo and Mayo.

I do not think there will be a major difficulty in the other counties. For example, Cavan and Monaghan will probably work it out so that they will get one representative for each county on that basis.

I sat on the national council and am somewhat unique in this country in that I was directly elected as a parents' representative on my own VEC. I fought two such elections. All my children went to the local vocational school in Drumshanbo of which the Minister has an intimate knowledge. We are grateful for his continuing interest. My youngest child is doing his leaving certificate this year. Sadly, from my point of view, under the proposed legislation it would rule me out as a parents' representative.