They say in November 2023, all staff met with the full Management Committee to discuss the future of in-person services, including the potential relocation of the centre. In February of last year, staff were informed that a comprehensive consultation process had commenced, and the following, they were invited to participate in a survey on the proposed relocation. The management committee says the majority of staff declined to engage.
The statement says in May, the Management Committee arranged a direct meeting with staff to listen to their concerns, with further discussions in June during which a hybrid model of model of working was proposed.
The committee says since last month, repeated efforts have been made to meet with staff and Fórsa to discuss individual circumstances and to accommodate personal needs, and they’re hoping that will occur soon.
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Statement in full –
Donegal Education Support Centre Responds to Claims Regarding Consultation
Process
The Management Committee of the Donegal Education Support Centre (DESC) is both
surprised and disappointed by the recent claim made by Deputy Charles Ward that no
consultation took place with staff regarding the centre’s relocation. This assertion is entirely
inaccurate and fails to acknowledge the extensive engagement that has been ongoing since
November 2023.
Staff consultation began at the outset of the review process when, on 30th November 2023,
all staff met with the full Management Committee to discuss the future of in-person services,
including the potential relocation of the centre. In February 2024, staff were informed that a
comprehensive consultation process had commenced, and in March, they were invited to
participate in a survey on the proposed relocation. However, the majority of staff declined to
engage. Despite this, we remained committed to ensuring that staff perspectives were fully
considered throughout the process.
On 8th May 2024, in response to the low participation in the survey, the Management
Committee arranged a direct meeting with staff to listen to their concerns. Further
engagement took place on 17th June 2024, when we met with staff and representatives from
Fórsa to outline the rationale for potential relocation. During this meeting, we acknowledged
staff concerns and developed a Hybrid Working Model (60/40) to provide flexibility and
support. Under this model, no staff member is required to be on-site more than three days
per week, with remote working options available. Staff on reduced hours may only have to
travel twice a week and during school holidays, staff may only have to travel one or two days
a week to work. Staff are able to choose their preferred remote working days, and additional
flexibility is provided through staggered start and finish times, as well as time-in-lieu (for
every additional hour worked they receive 2 hours) arrangements. This model ensures that
no staff member is required to travel daily to the new location and that their jobs are not at
risk.
Since January 2025, the Management Committee has made repeated efforts to meet with
staff and Fórsa to discuss individual circumstances and to accommodate personal needs.
However, despite extending several invitations, this has not happened, but we are hoping
this meeting will occur soon. It is therefore deeply frustrating to hear suggestions that there
has been no consultation when every effort has been made to engage in meaningful
dialogue.
The decision to relocate the Centre was not made lightly. One of the main concerns of the
financial budget was the unsustainable cost of using external venues. DESC incurs such
high external venue costs. The relocation to Glenview Business Park in Letterkenny will
significantly reduce these costs, allowing us to redirect essential funding towards core
educational programmes such as Oide training days, TL21, The Incredible Years, Meitheal,
Creative Clusters, etc programmes that directly benefit teachers and students across
Donegal.
Accessibility was another key consideration. Letterkenny’s central location ensures that
educators from all four corners of Donegal—north, south, east, and west—can access high-
quality professional development without the added burden of excessive travel. Teachers in
South Donegal will now be equidistant between two education centres—Letterkenny
and Sligo—both of which are approximately 45 minutes away. For years, school leaders
and educators have highlighted the challenges of travelling to Donegal Town. By relocating,
we are ensuring that all teachers, regardless of where they are based, have equal access to
CPD opportunities.
This move is about ensuring that every student, regardless of their location, receives the
best possible education. The Management Committee is committed to supporting all
teachers in Donegal in their professional development, and by extension, ensuring that
children across the county have access to the highest standard of teaching. It is
unacceptable to suggest that children in North Donegal and Inishowen should be deprived of
equal access to professional development opportunities due to location constraints. Every
Principal, Teacher and SNA in Donegal deserves the same high-quality professional training
and development, and this relocation is a necessary step in ensuring that DESC can serve
everyone equitably.
The Management Committee is disappointed by the ongoing attempts to misrepresent this
process and mislead the public. Every effort has been made to consult with staff, and every
attempt to engage Fórsa in constructive dialogue since January has been delayed. The
claim that staff were not consulted is simply false. The reality is that DESC has worked
tirelessly to ensure that staff voices were heard, that a flexible hybrid working model was
developed in response to concerns, and that no staff member will lose their job as a result of
this relocation.
We want to make it abundantly clear that our priority remains the educational welfare of all
students and teachers in Donegal. We have consulted extensively with staff since November
2023, developed a flexible working model in response to their concerns, and made every
effort to meet with Fórsa, since early January 2025. The relocation ensures that educators
from all parts of the county can benefit from professional learning in a purpose-built, fully
accessible centre, ultimately improving outcomes for students. The Management Committee
believes that this will benefit the entire educational community across Donegal for years to
come.
