Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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Pursuant to section 7 of the Vocational Education (Amendment) Act 2001, the revised composition of the new vocational education committees provides, for the first time, for the election of members by parents and VEC staff. In addition to members elected by the local authority from among the members of the local authority concerned, the Act provides for the appointment by the local authority of a further four members from among nominated representatives of community, voluntary and other interests as set out in the Act.

The first meeting of the new committees have been held or have been fixed in the case of all VECs except in the case of County Kildare VEC and County Meath VEC. I understand that the reasons for delay is due to the finalising of the appointment process by the local authorities of the further four members referred to above. It is expected that this appointment process will be completed shortly and that the first meeting with the new committees concerned can take place in February.