Mary O'Rourke (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
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Question 407: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the course of action a person (details supplied) can take in order to get information on their future job security. [18006/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The person referred to by the Deputy is currently employed by Co Westmeath Vocational Education Committee and is based at one of the Committee's Community Colleges in that county. A new school is planned to replace the College's existing building and the project is one of eight new schools which were approved for inclusion in the 3rd Bundle of schools to be procured via Public Private Partnership. The Department of Education & Science operates the Design Build Finance and Maintain (DBFO) model as the preferred option for PPP projects. This provides that the maintenance of the buildings over the 25 year period of the contract becomes the responsibility of the PPP Operator and ancillary staff currently employed by the school will be given the option, under EU legislation, of transferring their employment to the PPP Company.

In early 2009, during the initial stakeholders' consultation in the College the ancillary staff currently employed by the VEC were informed that they will be offered the option to transfer their employment to the successful PPP Operator in due course. Following representations from the person mentioned in the Deputy's question and his union representative the options open to the ancillary staff who may wish to transfer are being explored further.