Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)

I wish to ask about two Bills under the Department of Education and Science for which the heads have not been agreed by Government. The education Ireland Bill is proposed to establish a body to regulate the provision of education services primarily in the field of language education and the teaching of English to non-English speaking visiting students. The George Mitchell Scholarship Fund Act 1998 amendment Bill is to amend the legislation to facilitate an increase in Ireland's contribution to the fund over the next five years. In each of theses cases publication is expected in 2008. Will the Minister indicate whether the heads of the Bills have been agreed in each case since the legislative programme was published in September? They do not strike me as being of major complexity. It would be interesting to note whether progress is being made towards publication in each of these cases.

Reflecting on the earlier point I raised, will the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment address the House on the continual haemorrhage of real jobs in major towns around our country?

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