Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 15 September 2021
522. Deputy Ivana Bacik asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science the number of Bills prepared by his Department since 27 June 2020; the number and title of those Bills that included a Regulatory Impact Assessments; the title of the Regulatory Impact Assessments that have been published by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43708/21]
View answerThere has been one Bill prepared by my Department since June 27th 2020. Government approval was received for the General Scheme of a Bill to replace the Higher Education Authority Act 1971 on 4 May 2021. A Regulatory Impact Assessment was undertaken and submitted to Government with the Memorandum for Government seeking approval for the General Scheme. The General Scheme of the Bill is published on the D/FHERIS website.
The pre-legislative scrutiny process is ongoing and the report from this process is expected shortly. Once the report is received and the recommendations considered, work will continue on the drafting of the Higher Education Authority Bill 2021 by the Office of the Attorney General. When the Higher Education Authority Bill is complete it will be published, together with the Regulatory Impact Assessment.
There has been extensive consultation on the reform of the Higher Education Authority Act 1971 since 2018. The consultation publications and submissions received from stakeholders are published on the D/FHERIS and Department of Education websites.
