21D.—(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 statement of the policies of the college in respect of—

(a) access to education in the college by economically or socially disadvantaged persons, by persons who have a disability and by persons from sections of society significantly under-represented in the student body, and

(b) equality, including gender equality, in all activities of the college,

and the Director, in preparing the statement, shall have regard to such policies on those matters as may from time to time be determined by the Minister.

F65[(1A) A governing body shall, for the purposes of preparing a statement under subsection (1), consult with —

(a) the Minister,

(b) such other Ministers of the Government as the college 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 statement prepared under subsection (1) without modification or, after consultation with the Director, approve the statement 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) A college shall implement the policies set out in the statement as approved under subsection (2). ]