VEC move could cost €1.4m

The latest estimation as to the cost of moving Offaly VEC from its current state of the art home in Tullamore to the new headquarters of a merged Laois and Offaly VEC service in Portlaoise stands at €1.4m. Of that figure it's thought costs of €1.2m will be incurred breaking the 20 year lease on the facility that's just four years old, while an additional €200,000 will be spent returning the building to the state it was originally in when the lease was agreed. The Tullamore facility has an annual rent price tag in the region of €122,000. An Offaly VEC meeting took place last Monday, the same day that VEC members met with TDs Charlie Flanagan, Marcella Corcoran Kennedy, Barry Cowen and Seán Fleming at the Tullamore facility. Current Offaly VEC CEO Edward McEvoy said the public representatives appeared to be impressed with the level of the Tullamore facility. He also underlined that contrary to some reports former Offaly VEC CEO Diarmuid O'Neill had the full support of central government when the Tullamore premises was chosen and the 20 year lease entered into. Speaking after the meeting Fine Gael's Charlie Flanagan said the future of the facility will lie in the hands of the new CEO of the merged organisation, the Education and Training Board and SOLAS, which will replace FÁS. Last week Barry Cowen said Education Minister Ruairi Quinn refused to comment on the cost to the taxpayer of moving Offaly VEC to Portlaoise when challenged by him at a January 25 Oireachtas Education Committee meeting.