Ciarán Lynch (Cork South Central, Labour)
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Question 133: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the discussions or communications she has had with the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes concerning the possible reduction in the number of vocational education committees from 33 to 22; the way the reduction will be achieved; if, at any time, or in any form, the VECs to be affected were identified or indicated; the VECs that were affected; if she has accepted this particular recommendation of the review group; the way she intends to proceed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [36570/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes considered that the number of VECs should be reduced to 22 and be aligned with the functional areas of the local authorities. I am satisfied that a greater reduction than suggested by the Group is desirable in order to deal with the issues of scale and taking into account the current and prospective requirements of the education sector.

The Government has decided to reduce the overall number of VECs from 33 to 16 and has decided on the merger of particular counties in order to arrive at the new configuration. Many of the detailed aspects of the restructuring will fall to be considered and worked through by my Department in conjunction with the VECs involved in any one merger before decisions are taken. Details of the sixteen revised VEC areas are as follows:

Co. Dublin and Dun Laoghaire City of Dublin City of Galway and Co. Galway City of Cork Co. Cork City of Limerick, Co. Limerick and Co. Kerry City of Waterford, Co. Waterford and Tipperary South Riding Donegal Wexford and Wicklow Carlow, Kilkenny and Kildare Laois, Offaly and Westmeath Louth and Meath Cavan and Monaghan Mayo and Sligo Leitrim, Roscommon and Longford Clare and Tipperary North Riding

My Department will now commence discussions with the relevant stakeholders, including trade unions representing staff in the VEC sector, in relation to the detailed implementation of this Government's decision.