Vol. 549 No. 4
309 Mr. Quinn asked the Minister for Education and Science the Acts or sections or other provisions of Acts under the auspices of his Department or for the commencement of which his Department is responsible which have not commenced by reason of the fact that a commencement order has not been made; if it is intended to make such an order; if so, when; the reason for the failure to make such an order to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7178/02]
The following statutory provisions have yet to be commenced formally: the Teaching Council Act, 2001; the Youth Work Act, 2001; the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, and; the Vocational Education (Amendment) Act, 2001, other than sections 4, 8, 11, 12, 15 and 20.
The primary reason why these statutory provisions have not been commenced to date is that they provide for very significant structural, staffing and other changes which require detailed planning and consultation with the education partners and others. That planning is now well advanced in the case of the Education (Welfare) Act, 2000, the Youth Work Act, 2001 and the Vocational Education (Amendment) Act, 2001. I intend to make appropriate commencement orders for these Acts in the near future. Consultation and planning is also proceeding in respect of the setting up of the Teaching Council and I will commence that Act as soon as practicable.
