James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 213: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding Longford Vocational Education Committee, which has played a major role in the education of the persons of County Longford for generations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12119/10]

James Bannon (Longford-Westmeath, Fine Gael)
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Question 215: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the position regarding Longford, Westmeath, Roscommon, Leitrim and Sligo vocational education committees, which have played a major role in the education of persons in these counties for generations; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12125/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 213 and 215 together.

I assume the Deputy is referring to the recommendations contained in the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes to reduce, from 33 to 22, the number of Vocational Education Committees. In September when I spoke at the annual conference of the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) I indicated publicly my general intentions in relation to the future organisation of the VEC system. I invited the IVEA and other interested parties to make written submissions if they wished that I would consider in finalising proposals. Furthermore the Programme for Government includes a specific commitment to develop proposals for the reorganisation of the number of Vocational Education Committees. The Deputy will appreciate that in advance of bringing the matter before Government, which I expect to do in the coming period, it would not be appropriate for me to comment on any particular element of the reorganisation.