This article is from page 5 of the 2006-02-07 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 5 JPG
CLARE Vocational Educational Committee will seek legal advice after receiving a report of the inquiry into the involuntary resignation of the organisation’s first ever female chief executive officer.
The report, prepared by the Department of Education and Science, examined the functions of Clare VEC and the events surrounding the resignation of former CEO Padraigín Uí Riordáin in 2004.
Following a private meeting held last Wednesday, Clare VEC issued a statement saying that any future consideration of the report would be deferred until legal advice had been sought from local authority solicitor, John Shaw.
“Following the resignation of the then chief executive officer, Padraigín Uí Riordáin, County Clare Vocational Education Committee requested the Minister for Education & Science to establish an inquiry.
“The report of the inquiry has now been forwarded to the committee. At a special meeting of the committee in private on Wednesday evening, it was decided to defer consideration of the report for a period of time following legal advice,” said the statement
The Department of Education and Science launched an initial investigation into the workings of Clare VEC in 2004, following the involuntary resignations of both Ms Uí Riordáin and Ms Teresa Lineen, the former principal of St Michael’s College in Kilmihil, who left her post in 2003.
That investigation was heavily criticised at the time by Fine Gael T.D. Pat Breen, who claimed it had been botched. It was subsequently terminated by the Minister of Education and Science, Mary Hanafin, as problems had arisen regarding the terms of reference.
A new investigation with expanded terms of reference was then initiated, and headed up by retired assistant chief schools inspector, Turlough O’Connor. His report was delivered to the Minister in January. Ms Uí Riordáin announced her resignation in July 2004 at a stormy meeting of the board of Clare VEC. She was replaced as CEO by former Kerry football goalkeeper Eamon Fitzgerald. He has since left the post.