Call for minister to take Donegal Education Centre controversy seriously

The Cathaoirleach of Donegal MD has called out the Minister for Education for not fully investigating the controversial relocation of Donegal Education Support Centre from Donegal Town.

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Speaking at the March meeting of the Municipal District (MD) of Donegal, Cllr Noel Jordan (SF) asked for Donegal County Council to write to the minister asking for further investigation to be carried out. It was agreed that this correspondence would be written. 

“I feel the minister is not taking this matter seriously enough,” he said.

“She is looking at a one-sided story coming from a small number of individuals in the management committee.

“Minister McEntee came back with the same response from the last education minister, that this is a matter for the management committee. But I believe that it is a matter for the minister because it is a matter of an example of bad governance in how they reached these decisions.”

His comments relate to the upcoming relocation of Donegal Education from Donegal Town to Letterkenny. The move has sparked a huge response from educators, business owners and the wider community in south Donegal who say the move is an unnecessary blow to staff and to the economy of the area.

The management committee have defended their decision, saying it was done in consultation with staff, membership - which includes all current and retired teachers in Donegal - and other stakeholders. However, this has been widely disputed by six employees, and numerous educators who say they were not given an opportunity to have their say on the move. Trade union Fórsa has been supporting the affected staff, and the matter has been lodged with the Workplace Relation Commission (WRC) for conciliation. 

Cllr Jordan told the MD meeting: “We as elected representatives have asked to see the business case, we have asked the minister to intervene and urge the committee to call the AGM and put this resolution to the people, which should have happened anyway. In my opinion, that is the responsibility of the minister. 

“We are asking them to call the AGM as soon as possible. We are aware that the date is getting closer for the move. We are asking the minister to delay it.”

An AGM was due to be held in January, and was postponed just hours before its scheduled start time. This followed the public announcement of the relocation only weeks earlier. 

Many of those present at a public meeting in February said that despite being members of Donegal Education Support members in their capacity as teachers, the first they heard of the move to Letterkenny was when it was announced via a press release to select local media.

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 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 will moving Donegal Education Support Centre from Donegal Town to Letterkenny cost the public purse. No response has been received. 

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