Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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Question 40: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the number of occasions that the SOLAS implementation group has met; when legislation will be published to enable the establishment of SOLAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30965/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Following the Government Decision to create SOLAS, an Implementation Group was set up to establish SOLAS. I am chairing this Group and its membership includes representatives from the Department of Education and Skills, FÁS, the Irish Vocational Education Association, the Department of Social Protection, the Department of the Taoiseach, and a representative from the private training sector. The objective of the Group is to drive the implementation process forward and it has met 12 times since it was established in August 2011.

The Heads of a Bill for the establishment of SOLAS have been approved by Government and referred to the Office of the Attorney General for drafting purposes. The Bill will, inter alia, provide for the establishment of SOLAS and for the dissolution of FAS. I expect to publish this legislation in the Autumn session.