Vocational Education (Amendment) Act, 2001

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Expenses of members of vocational education committee and representation of vocational education committee at conferences.

33.—(1) A vocational education committee may, subject to and in accordance with regulations under subsection (3), make payments to its members for the purpose of defraying any expenses reasonably incurred by them relating to—

(a) attendance at a meeting of the vocational education committee or of a subcommittee of the vocational education committee concerned of which they are members,

(b) attendance, authorised by the vocational education committee, at a conference, seminar or other meeting or event at which the vocational education committee is, pursuant to subsection (2), entitled to be represented,

(c) any matter prescribed by regulations made by the Minister.

(2) (a) A vocational education committee may, subject to the provisions of this section, authorise one or more of its members to represent it at a conference, seminar or other meeting or event held, whether within or outside the State, for the purpose of discussing or imparting information regarding, or connected with, any matter that is of concern to the vocational education committee in relation to the performance of its functions and is relevant to the vocational education area and local community within that vocational education area.

(b) A vocational education committee shall not give an authorisation under paragraph (a) unless it is satisfied that the authorisation is justified, having regard to—

(i) the benefits likely to accrue from its being represented at the conference, seminar, meeting or event concerned,

(ii) the general interests of the vocational education area and the local community within the vocational education area,

(iii) any ensuing cost to the vocational education committee of its being so represented.

(3) The Minister may, after consultation with the Minister for Finance, make regulations for the purpose of this section and, without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, regulations under this subsection may provide for any one or more of the following matters:

(a) payments to members of vocational education committees in respect of reasonable expenses incurred by them in relation to each attendance at a meeting of the vocational education committee concerned or a subcommittee of the vocational education committee,

(b) payments to members of vocational education committees in respect of reasonable expenses incurred by them in relation to attendance authorised by the vocational education committee concerned at conferences, seminars, meetings or events to which subsection (2)(a) applies,

(c) the maximum number of representatives of a vocational education committee or the maximum combined numbers of representatives of vocational education committees generally, or of a particular class or classes, in respect of which payments may be made under this section to defray expenses incurred in attending such conferences, seminars, meetings or events,

(d) the determination by the Minister or such other person as may be specified in the regulations—

(i) as to whether, or to what extent, vocational education committees generally or of a particular class or classes, or

(ii) of the particular vocational education committee that,

should be represented at conferences, seminars, meetings or events to which subsection (2)(a) applies, or such conferences, seminars, meetings or events—

(I) as may be so specified, or

(II) belonging to such class or classes as may be so specified,

and of the number of members who may represent individual vocational education committees at such meetings or events,

(e) conditions and restrictions in relation to the making of payments under this subsection,

(f) any other matters which appear to the Minister to be necessary or expedient for the purpose of this section.

(4) A decision to authorise an attendance referred to in paragraph (b) of subsection (1) shall be a reserved function.

(5) In this section “member”, in relation to a vocational education committee, includes a member of a subcommittee of a vocational education committee.

(6) There shall be recorded in the annual report of a vocational education committee separate particulars in relation to payments made in respect of the matter specified in each paragraph of subsection (1) in the year to which the report relates.