selb news: SELB CHAIRPERSON REPORTS ON MEETING WITH MINISTER

2007

Tuesday 7 August 2007

SELB CHAIRPERSON REPORTS ON MEETING WITH MINISTER

After attending the recent RPA meeting with the Education Minister along with her fellow Chairs of the Education and Library Boards and other bodies from the education sector, Mrs Donnell said:

“The Minister stated that the Review of Public Administration (RPA) was the most ambitious change in 30 years. Her vision was to help all children reach their full potential. After the passing of the first Bill, 86 percent of the staff will be under the authority of the Education and Skills Authority (ESA). By the second Bill, the remainder of the staff and the reappointment of Governors would be the responsibility of ESA.

SELB CHAIRPERSON REPORTS ON MEETING WITH MINISTER

“The Minister stated service continuity must be maintained. The second tier officers should be appointed by May 2008. I raised the concerns of the workforce in the rural areas, with particular reference to Armagh, and was assured that there would be local units and that not everything would be situated in Belfast.

“I also pointed out that the Transferors Representative Council should have a specific representative at these (Education RPA) meetings since there were representatives from all other bodies. There are to be further meetings of the Chairpersons and also meetings with the present Chief Executives (of RPA-affected education bodies) and working parties are to be set up.

ESA should be fully operational by April 2009. An assurance was made that in future information would be given to the Chief Executives at the same time as the Trade Unions.

I shall continue to raise the concerns and views of the workforce in the schools and offices of the SELB.”

Minister Ruane’s paper on the Review of Public Administration along with a Department of Education press release issued following the meeting can be found in the RPA section of the SELB WEBSITE RPA AREA along with a letter from Mr Colin Jack of DCAL which provides an update in relation to the position of Library Service staff.

SELB WEBSITE RPA AREA

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