Paudie Coffey (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the progress being made in recent months in respect of the establishment of Solas, the new State training agency to replace FAS; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38039/12]

Ciarán Cannon (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Following the Government Decision to create SOLAS, an Implementation Group was set up to prepare an Action Plan to implement the changes required to establish SOLAS. The Heads of a Bill for the establishment of SOLAS have been approved by Government. The Bill will, inter alia, provide for the establishment of SOLAS and for the dissolution of FAS. The Bill is being currently being drafted in the Office of the Attorney General and I expect to publish this legislation in the Autumn session.

In advance of the passing of the legislation a dedicated transition team has been established comprising of members of staff from FAS and the VECs to work on the change programme that will be required in the context of the establishment of SOLAS and the transfer of the FAS Training Division to the VECs. Integration projects are underway in Dublin and Cork as a means to identify in a real practical way the nature of the issues that will arise in the context of the integration of the VECs and FAS training centres.