LIAM ARUNDEL, BORN 1942, FORMER CEO, City of Dublin VEC

Schull in West Cork is the birthplace of Liam Arundel. He received his early education locally, later transferring to boarding school at St. Colman’s in Fermoy. He graduated from UCC and later from Maynooth with a HDip, where he also worked as part-time lecturer. He later taught in Carlow and Birr in the vocational schools in the 1970s. In 1975 he was appointed CEO of Offaly VEC where he remained for five years, and in 1980 he was appointed CEO to the City of Dublin VEC. He discusses his initial impressions of his Dublin post, the challenges of employment in the VEC in those days, the awarding of degrees arrangement with Trinity College, the aspiration by the colleges for independence, the issues with the unions, the structure of the City of Dublin, the formation of the DIT sector and his disappointment at the lack of involvement in the sector by the City of Dublin VEC.