Comhairle Act, 2000
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Functions of Board. |
7.— (1) The functions of the Board shall be— | |
(a) to support the provision of or, where the Board considers it appropriate, to provide directly, independent information, advice and advocacy services so as to ensure that individuals have access to accurate, comprehensive and clear information relating to social services and are referred to the relevant services, | ||
(b) to assist and support individuals, in particular those with disabilities, in identifying and understanding their needs and options and in accessing their entitlements to social services, | ||
(c) to promote greater accessibility, co-ordination and public awareness of social services and of information, advice and advocacy services provided in relation to such services whether by a statutory body or a voluntary body, | ||
(d) to support, promote and develop the provision of information on the effectiveness of current social policy and services and to highlight issues which are of concern to users of those services, | ||
(e) to promote and support the development of voluntary bodies providing social services including, where the Board considers it appropriate, the provision of financial or other resources such as integrated information, training and development services, | ||
(f) to furnish advice, information and assistance to the Minister in relation to the development of any aspect of social services, | ||
(g) whenever the Minister so requests, to design schemes relating to social services to address needs identified by the Minister concerning such services, and, where the Board considers it appropriate to do so, to provide such services directly, | ||
(h) to promote, develop, encourage and assist, through the provision of financial or other resources, the work in relation to social services of such bodies as the Minister may specify, | ||
(i) to prepare strategic plans in accordance with section 8 , and | ||
(j) to perform any additional functions assigned to the Board under subsection (2). | ||
(2) The Minister may, with the consent of the Minister for Finance, by order- | ||
(a) confer on the Board such additional functions relating to social services and connected with the functions conferred on the Board by subsection (1) or an order made under this subsection, as the Minister considers appropriate, | ||
(b) make such provision as he or she considers necessary or expedient in relation to matters ancillary to or arising out of the conferral on the Board of functions so conferred. | ||
(3) The Minister may by order amend or revoke an order under this section, including an order under this subsection. | ||
(4) Every order made by the Minister under this section shall be laid before each House of the Oireachtas as soon as may be after it is made and, if a resolution annulling the order is passed by either such House within the next 21 days on which the House has sat after the order is laid before it, the order shall be annulled accordingly, but without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done thereunder. |