the composition of the committees, and parents of students under 18 and members of the staff were also entitled to elect committee members. Members could also be appointed to represent the interests of students, voluntary organisations, community organisations, Irish language interests and business. List of Vocational Education Committees 1997–2013 Amalgamations and abolition In October 2010 the Department of Education and Skills announced that the number of VECs was to be reduced from 33 to 16 by amalgamation In 2011 the new government confirmed that scale of reduction but revised the scheme of amalgamations It subsequently announced the establishment of SOLAS, a new steering and funding agency to cover the further education provision of the VECs, which also absorbed the training activities formerly carried out by FÁS. Under the terms of the Education and Training Boards Act 2013 the VECS were dissolved, being replaced by 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs) on 1 July 2013: County Dublin VEC and Dún Laoghaire VEC replaced by Dublin & Dún Laoghaire ETB City of Dublin VEC replaced by City of Dublin ETB City of Galway VEC, County Galway VEC and County Roscommon VEC replaced by Galway & Roscommon ETB County Cork VEC and City of Cork VEC replaced by Cork ETB County Kerry VEC replaced by Kerry ETB City of Limerick VEC, County Limerick VEC and County Clare VEC replaced by Limerick & Clare ETB City of Waterford VEC, County Waterford VEC and County Wexford VEC replaced by Waterford & Wexford ETB North Tipperary VEC and South Tipperary VEC replaced by Tipperary ETB County Donegal VEC replaced by Donegal ETB County Kildare VEC and County Wicklow VEC replaced by Kildare & Wicklow ETB County Mayo VEC, County Sligo VEC and County Leitrim VEC replaced by Mayo, Sligo & Leitrim ETB County Cavan VEC and County Monaghan VEC replaced by Cavan & Monaghan ETB County Laois VEC and County Offaly VEC replaced by Laois & Offaly ETB County Carlow VEC and County Kilkenny VEC replaced by Kilkenny & Carlow ETB County Longford VEC and County Westmeath VEC replaced by Longford & Westmeath ETB County Meath VEC and County Louth VEC replaced by Louth & Meath ETB References External links Irish Vocational Education Association Education in the Republic of Ireland Secondary education in Ireland