The six councillors in the Donegal Municipal District are urging Education Minister Helen McEntee to become involved in the discussion on the future of the Donegal Education Centre in Donegal Town.
The centre is due to relocate to Letterkenny at the end of next month, following what the management committee says was a comprehensive consultation with teachers across the county.
However, the extent of that consultation has been questioned by Cllr Jimmy Brogan on of the signatories of the letter.
Speaking ahead of a public meeting on this day week, he says six local jobs could be lost as a result of the proposal, and given the potential fallout, the final decision should be made by the current minister…………..
Statement on Behalf of Councillors of Donegal M.D.
Donegal Education Support Centre based in Donegal Town is scheduled to close on
March 31st following a decision of its Management Committee. One of the
consequences of this decision is the loss of the jobs of 6 of its 7 strong workforce.
The closure of Donegal Education Centre, after 27 years of excellent service to
teachers and schools, throughout County Donegal, has come as a great shock to the
local community, local business interests, teachers and schools from all over the
County.
Government policy has long been to decentralize government services as much as
possible and this move flies in the face of that policy. We, as public representatives,
are very concerned for the jobs of the six women workers, very concerned that this
announcement was made in advance of any agreement with the workers union
Forsa, and angry that efforts to meet with the management committee and have
legitimate questions answered, have been completely ignored by the management
committee. This is simply not good enough.
We are also concerned that the process entered into, in reaching this decision, was
seriously flawed, lacking in transparency and counter to the principles of good
governance and proper procedure.
We call on the Minister of Education, Helen McEntee, who's Department provides
100% of the funding for the Centre, and which has ultimate oversight and
responsibility (as per Section 37 of the Education Act of 1998), to immediately
intervene, delay this move and investigate the circumstances and the rationale of
this decision.
It was a former Minister of Education, Niamh Bhreathnach TD, and her Department,
that selected Donegal Town as the location for an Education Centre 27 years ago
and it can only be a decision of the current Minister to accept it's proposed
relocation.
There will be a public meeting on Thursday 13 th Feb in the Abbey Hotel at 8pm to protest
the closure of Donegal Education Centre, and inform the public, and public
representatives. All county councillors, TDs and MEPs are being invited to attend.
Cllr Jimmy Brogan
Cllr Manus Boyle
Cllr Noel Jordan
Cllr Mickey McMahon
Cllr Niamh Kennedy
Cllr Micheal Naughton
