News

Today in the Dáil, the Water Services Bill 2013 will be discussed in its final stages. This Bill says that domestic water charges can be introduced fromJanuary 1 2014. In the Seanad, the Education and Training Boards Bill 2012 will be discussed with the Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairi Quinn TD. This Bill will replace the nine existing Vocational Education Acts with one piece of composite legislation. It provides for the establishment of 16 Education and Training Boards, replacing the current 33 Vocational Education Committees. The European Union Affairs Committee will discuss a range of issues including: Ireland and the future of the EU; Financial, budgetary and economic policy integration in the EU; Democratic accountability, legitimacy and political union; and the UK and the EU - implications for Ireland. Mr Gay Mitchell MEP, Ms Emer Costello MEP and Mr Paul Murphy MEP will be in attendance.

There are three amendments to today's schedule, marked in bold.

The Minister for Education and Skills, Ruairí Quinn TD, has published a report entitled “Fee Charging Schools – Analysis of Fee Income” which examines the discretionary income available to the 55 fee charging schools in the country. 

A brief run-down of the day's Oireachtas schedule.