(Thurs. 5 October, 2022) – Cllr Fergal Browne is the new chairperson of Kilkenny and Carlow Education and Training Board (KCETB) and Cllr Andrea Dalton its new vice-chairperson, following their election by the board this week. Both councillors represent Carlow County Council.<\/p>\n
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They replace outgoing chairperson, Cllr Peter \u201cChap\u201d Cleere, following a six-year tenure, and outgoing vice- chairperson, Cllr Mary Hilda Cavanagh, both representing Kilkenny County Council.<\/p>\n
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KCETB is a leading provider of education and training in the south east, enabling 15,000 annual learners to reach their potential by offering a series of education pathways in schools, colleges, training centres and community settings. Its remit includes the management and operation of 13 post-primary schools, two colleges of further education and training, an extensive range of adult and community education services across Kilkenny and Carlow, the co-ordination of youth services, and the promotion of music education through Music Generation<\/em>. KCETB employs 1,377 people and operates an annual budget of over \u20ac80million.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It is a great honour”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Commenting on his election as chairperson, Cllr Fergal Browne said, “It is a great honour to be the first-ever Carlow person to hold the position of KCETB chairperson. I look forward to playing my part in this great organisation and, as we approach the tenth anniversary since KCETB was created following the merger of Carlow and Kilkenny VECs, we can be justifiably proud of how well education, training and youth work services are provided in both counties of Carlow and Kilkenny through KCETB.”<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Outgoing chairman Cllr Peter \u2018Chap\u2019 Cleere commented, \u201cIt has been an absolute personal and professional privilege to work with a very special organisation such as KCETB and I feel incredibly proud to have worked with so many great people. I want to say a massive thank you to the KCETB family for their\u00a0 hard work, commitment, and unwavering support throughout my time as chairperson\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cWhen I became Chair in 2017, I could not have anticipated just how eventful the following years would be, or that we would experience the challenge of an extended Brexit, a global pandemic, and now war in Europe, together.\u00a0 I call out the pandemic, in particular, because I was inspired by and proud of the way colleagues at KCETB came together during this time, supporting each other and our students every day as we lived through a particularly difficult period. In doing so, it truly brought our purpose and values to life\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cAs I hand over to the new chairperson, Cllr Fergal Browne, I have great confidence in the support and dedication he will receive from all colleagues and the wider KCETB network.\u00a0 I look forward to continuing to remain a proactive and committed board member over the coming years\u201d, he concluded.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n I look forward to working with them”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Speaking about the new appointments, KCETB Chief Executive Eileen Curtis said, \u201cI would like to congratulate Cllr Fergal Browne and Cllr Andrea Dalton on their election as chairperson and vice-chairperson of KCETB. We have just published our next five-year Strategy Statement and I look forward to working with them on the delivery of our key strategic priorities which will make a difference to the educational services that we provide for our students and our communities across Kilkenny and Carlow. I also extend my thanks and grateful appreciation to Cllr Peter Cleere who was an outstanding chairman for the last six years, and whose support for the work of our schools and centres was always positive and unflinching, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, which was a difficult time for students and staff in our schools and centres\u201d.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The board of KCETB comprises 21 members, 12 elected local authority members, two staff, two parents, two local industry and three sectoral interest representatives.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"