Enda Kenny
Question:735 Mr. Kenny asked the Minister for Education and Science his Department's legislative programme for the remainder of 2002; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14398/02]
Written Answers. - Legislative Programme.
I wish to thank the Deputy for his question regarding the legislation which I hope to bring forward. My Department is working on a number of Bills at the moment. The Education for Persons with Disabilities Bill will provide a statutory framework within which the education of children and people who have special educational needs because of disabilities can be guaranteed. A consultation process has now commenced on the basis of that Bill with a view to publishing a revised version by the end of this year.
Preparation for a Bill concerning people who are considered unsafe to work with children is ongoing at the moment within my Department. The Regional Technical Colleges (Amendment) Bill and the Dublin Institute of Technologies (Amendment) Bill have as their goals the transfer of funding of the institutes of technology from my Department to the Higher Education Authority and to transfer responsibility for certain operational matters of the institutes of technology to the Higher Education Authority. Discussions are ongoing on this matter between my Department and the HEA.
The Grangegorman Development Agency Bill will establish a statutory body which will oversee the development of a modern new campus at Grangegorman, Dublin for the Dublin Institute of Technology and for upgraded facilities of the Eastern Regional Health Authority. Work on the drafting of the heads for this Bill is at an early stage.