Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the way decisions were reached regarding the location of vocational education committee head offices; the person who made the final decision; the factors that were considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29066/11]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills his plans for existing vocational education committee head offices which will not be head offices once they are amalgamated with other VECs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29067/11]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 71: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the role of a vocational education committee sub-office within the new configuration of VECs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29068/11]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 70 and 71 together.

Last week, I finalised and announced my decision in relation to the location of headquarters of the merged VECs. In arriving at this decision, I considered a range of factors including the need to ensure that the location of a VEC headquarters will, to the greatest extent possible, facilitate staff redeployment under a redeployment scheme within the context of the Croke Park Agreement and the need to operate at lowest cost having regard to the accommodation available in existing locations.

I expect that headquarters staff of a merging VEC who are employed in an office which has not been designated as a head office or sub office of the new structure will move to the designated headquarters location as soon as feasible, although in all cases, a sub-office will be maintained for the immediate term in order to facilitate an orderly merger. The role of headquarters staff of a merging VEC who are employed in an office which has been designated as a sub-office, and the use of offices which will no longer be used as administrative offices of VECs following the merger, will fall to be considered and worked through by the CEO of the merged entity in conjunction with my Department.