21C.—(1) A governing body shall, as soon as practicable but not later than 12 months after the commencement of this section and at such other times as it thinks fit, require the Director to prepare a plan (in this Act referred to as a "strategic development plan") that shall set out the aims of the governing body for the operation and development of the college and its strategy for achieving those aims, and for carrying out the functions under this Act, during the period, being not less than three years, to which the plan relates.

F63[(1A) A governing body shall, for the purposes of preparing a strategic development plan, consult with —

(a) the Minister,

(b) such other Ministers of the Government as the governing body considers appropriate,

(c) An tÚdarás,

(d) the students or the student union of the college,

(e) the members of the staff of the college or the trades unions or staff associations of those members of staff,

(f) the academic council of the college,

(g) the education and training board in whose education and training board area the campus of the college is located or such other education and training board as the governing body considers appropriate,

(h) a local authority in whose functional area the campus of the college is located, and

(i) such other body or person as the governing body considers appropriate.]

(2) A governing body may either approve the strategic development plan prepared without modification or, after consultation with the Director, approve the plan with such modifications as it thinks fit; in exercising its powers under this subsection the governing body shall have regard to the resources available to the college.

(3) As soon as practicable after it approves the strategic development plan under subsection (2), the governing body shall provide a copy of the plan to An tÚdarás and to the Minister.]