Donegal Education Support Centre referred to Workplace Relations Commission

Trade union Fórsa which represents six staff members at the centre of the Donegal Education Support Centre relocation controversy has brought the matter to the Workplace Relations Commission (WRC). 

Fórsa confirmed to Donegal Live that the issue was lodged with the WRC for conciliation.

Chairperson of Donegal Education Centre Martin Gallagher said the decision to enter consiliation had been made in consultation with the management committee, stressing that this is a voluntary process.

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Minister for Education Helen McEntee has met with local representatives and has assured them that she will carry out a full investigation into the circumstances of the proposed move.

As outlined at a recent public meeting regarding the relocation of the centre, every current and retired teacher in County Donegal is a member of Donegal Education Support  Centre with a vote in decisions about the facility. However, the matter was never put to an AGM.  A number of members speaking at a meeting said that according to the centre’s constitution, the AGM had to be held by February 28. That date has now passed with no such meeting having taken place.

Mr Gallagher has contacted Donegal Live to say that date of February 28 is incorrect.

"As per our constitution, the AGM must take place before the end of March," he said.

However, Donegal Live understands from consultation with members that the constitution does indeed state February 28, but a further document called the AGM Booklet gives the latest date for the AGM as the end of March. 

UPDATED CONTENT: It was said at that public meeting in February - hosted by the Save Our Education Centre committee - that according to the centre’s own constitution, the AGM had to be held by the end of February. Donegal Live / Donegal Democrat has seen a copy of that version of the constitution.
Chairperson of the Donegal Education Support Centre Management Committee Martin Gallagher contacted Donegal Life / Donegal Democrat to say that this information was incorrect, and he furnished via email an updated constitution which states that the AGM must be held by the end of March.
Donegal Live / Donegal Democrat has requested from clarification on when the constitution was updated, and on whether the AGM will be held by the end of March.
We have also asked a number of other questions, including how much moving Donegal Education Support Centre from Donegal Town to Letterkenny will cost the public purse.
To date, no response has been received.

Issues raised by six staff members include the manner in which they were informed of the move, the impact on their lives of changing the centre’s location from Donegal Town to Letterkenny, and the management committee’s public claims that staff were part of an extensive consultation process.

The public meeting heard that there was much discontent among educators and the wider community about the decision to move Donegal Education Support Centre. It has been in Donegal Town since it was established 27 years ago, with outreach centres in a  number of locations around the county. 

School Principal Alison Pasquier told the meeting that there were around 300 members in a WhatsApp group who shared the view that the centre should not move.

Secondary school teacher Seamus Maguire told those gathered that he would have liked to have been given the opportunity to express his views on such a major move, given that it had such an impact on the six highly regarded staff members. 

Public representatives pledged their support to the staff members, who now face into a commute which is up to 90 minutes each way. 

The Save Our Donegal Education Centre committee which organised the meeting is making plans for a public protest with details to be finalised. 

One of the members is Cllr Jimmy Brogan (Ind) who said: “We are very hopeful that a positive decision will be made by the Minister of Education, Helen McEntee who has said that she will carry out a full investigation of the circumstances of the proposed move; the fact that the decision was not made by the majority of members of Donegal Education Centre, the lack of an AGM being held, the treatment of the staff and a number of other issues.  

“We are also calling on the Minister to instruct the Management Committee to call the AGM as soon as possible. It would not be acceptable that the Minister abdicate responsibility on this matter because the Education Centre itself and the proposed relocation is 100% funded by Dept of Education. 

“Ministers and their department officials have to accept responsibility for the decision in all government departments or we will continue to see situations like this along with the Bike Shed, Security Huts, Children's Hospital overspends, etc, etc, etc.

“The staff union, Fórsa, have now engaged with the WRC who are attempting to broker an agreement between staff and management, re the proposed relocation to the Mountain Top in Letterkenny. 

“Not many employees would accept being made to travel a possible three hours per day for between three and five days per week and cover the cost of travel themselves, without any additional allowances been offered; especially after working in Donegal Town for over 17 years, which is the case for some of the staff members.”

Cllr Brogan is calling on the management committee to reschedule the AGM which was postponed at the last minute in January, and to meet its members and properly air the issues surrounding the relocation.

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