The cost and service efficiency measures carried out by Galway City VEC should be examined to help the rationalisation and restructuring process of the country’s VECs, says Fine Gael Galway senator Fidelma Healy Eames.
The Senator said this week that the chief executive officer of the City of Galway VEC has done an incredible job of making the administration in head offices in Island House work in a cost effective and efficient way and this should be used as an example by other VEC managers and officers to scale down expenditure.
“The policy of City of Galway VEC is to do more with less. For example, when the current chief executive officer took over, Island House had a staff of 25. He now has considerably fewer, and the staff is motivated by the chief executive officer to do more. This is information I have gleaned, not from the CEO, but from staff working in the city education service. I am confident that examples of good practice are to be found in each VEC, if they were to be sought out.
“In restructuring the VECs the Minister must dig down deep and make a better assessment of the situation. I am concerned that the proposed merger as planned will not be as cost effective as envisaged and travelling expenses for staff and committees over longer distances will erode potential savings. Minister Coughlan must reveal the criteria underpinning the new model and the exact cost savings involved.
"The Tánaiste must outline whether she has considered cost savings proposals such as a central purchasing unit or a more timely budgetary approach. City of Galway VEC got its budget this year in May. Tardiness can force managers to spend money in senseless ways, owing to the fact that if they do not spend it they will not get the same allocation in the following year. That is poor planning and allocation of budget by the Department.
“VECs should also combine for services, such as information and communications technology, ICT. Why not have one of the western VECs, for example, control all IT maintenance for the region and purchase en bloc? This could be done quite easily, saving vast amounts in the process. Furthermore, VECs should combine to use their own in-house expertise for research purposes, instead of hiring outside consultants. This practice has to go.
“Our VECs throughout the country are made up of outstanding staff. They offer a wide range of education services to meet the needs of learners from second-level to adult education, including those on the margins and not catered for by other services. Minister Coughlan must assure the sector that she has considered all options and has arrived at the most cost effective and suitable solution for the future of the VEC sector."
