Tipperary Education and Training Board(TETB) is to hold an emergency meeting today according to Cllr Liam Browne who is not one of the 12 councillors on the 21 person board.
The meeting comes following the outcry after the revelation last Friday (June 27th) that the TETB decided to cut the provision of four Local Training Initiatives(LTIs) in Tipperary town at Knockanrawley, in Cashel at Spafield Resource Centre and at centres in Cahir and Littleton due to a budget shortfall. South Tipperary TDs Mattie McGrath and Michael Murphy have raised the issue in the Dáil and want the decision reversed and funding restored. Deputy Murphy says the situation arises because “while the most recent national wage agreement included a 3.5% increase, only 2% of the funding was provided by the Government. The other 1.5% must be absorbed from the existing budget.” This exacerbates the reduced allocation from SOLAS to the Board for 2025 – a total of €35.5M.
In a statement today TETB repeats that the decision was not taken lightly and adds that reductions have been made across several areas of service provision, including both full-time and part-time courses, as well as operational support.
Today’s statement notes that TETB is “actively working to identify alternative options for learners who would have engaged with LTIs. This includes part-time and flexible training opportunities that can meet their needs.” Tipperary ETB is seeking contact details for current and prospective learners so that it’s own admissions and guidance teams can meet with each individual to discuss their options and support their next steps.
TETB stresses that LTIs are funded on an annual basis and are reviewed each year and should not be considered to be permanent.
Cllr Roger Kennedy is the current Chairperson of Tipperary ETB and Clodagh Kelly is the current CEO. The other members are Cllr Seán Ryan, Cllr Louise Morgan Walsh, Cllr Pat English, Cllr Willie Kennedy, Cllr Niall Dennehy, Cllr Phyll Bugler, Cllr Kay Cahill Skehan, Cllr John O’Heney, Cllr Mary Hanna Hourigan, Cllr Máirin McGrath and Cllr Michael Brennan.
The board is made up of 12 councillors, two staff nominees (Siobhan Kennedy and Stephen O’Brien) two parents nominees (Fiona Dunford and Declan Kinsella) and five members from bodies who have a special interest in or knowledge of education and training with at least one from community/business, industry and employers (Josephine Chamney, Eddie Morrissey, Virginia O’Dowd, Cora Horgan Farrell, Donal Kelly).
