Religious orders may gain a statutory right to representation on vocational education committees (VECs) for the first time in their 70-year history.
In a significant move, the Irish Vocational Education Association (IVEA) yesterday adopted a motion demanding that the religious should gain an automatic right to representation in those VECs which run community colleges.
The move follows intense lobbying by the religious authorities.
The IVEA, whose annual conference ended yesterday, is seeking an amendment to the Vocational Educational Bill, 2000, which is now before the Dail. The IVEA represents vocational school managers.
The Bill recasts the legal framework for the 33 VECs in the State for the first time since their establishment in 1930.
At present VECs are dominated by local-authority members who invite representatives of parents and others on to their committees. Under the new legislation, there will be nine local authority members but members will also be elected to represent staff and parents of students.
Members may also be drawn from bodies representing students, voluntary organisations and others from various trades, professions, industrial or commercial activities.
The IVEA now wants the religious to gain a statutory right to representation on those VECs which control community colleges.
Mr Donal O'Rourke, of Co Cork VEC, said yesterday it could not be right that a range of groups would enjoy statutory rights to representation while excluding one of the main partners, the religious authorities. The religious had been centrally involved in the organisation and development of community colleges.
In all, there are 35 designated community colleges in the State, which are run by the local VEC in association with the religious in the area. In practice, there is generally a management agreement between the VEC and the bishop of the diocese.
In some cases there is an agreement between the VEC and a specific religious order when, for example, a community college has been established after the merger of existing schools.
The scaling down of direct involvement by religious orders in education is likely to see a huge expansion of the community college sector in coming years, as schools merge and rationalise.
Mr Michael Moriarty, general secretary of the IVEA, said the motion was an attempt to provide some degree of comfort to the religious trustees. It would help guarantee that the religious ethos in community colleges was protected.
As mandated by its conference, the IVEA will now make representations to the Department of Education. The Department's response is expected shortly.