31Q.—(1) The Office shall conduct education and training programmes—

(a) for members of planning authorities and of regional assemblies in respect of—

(i) the role of such authorities, assemblies and their members under the Planning and Development Acts 2000 to 2018, including ministerial guidelines and policy directives under Chapter IV of Part II,

F253[(ia) the role of such members, authorities and assemblies in relation to guidelines under section 7 of the Maritime Area Planning Act 2021 and directives under section 8 of that Act,]

(ii) such matters relating to proper planning and sustainable development as the Minister may request, and

(iii) such other matters as the Office considers are of relevance to its functions, in particular, the functions relating to proper planning and sustainable development,

(b) for members of the staff of local authorities or regional assemblies in respect of—

F254[(i) such matters as the Minister may specify relating to—

(I) proper planning and sustainable development, and

(II) maritime spatial planning, and]

(ii) such other matters as the Office considers are of relevance to its functions, in particular, the functions relating to proper planning and sustainable development.

(2) The Office shall conduct research in relation to matters relevant to its functions as well as such other matters as may be requested of the Office by the Minister.

(3) The Office may enter into arrangements with any person or body that the Office considers to be suitably qualified, including any professional, educational or research organisation, to undertake the provision of such services that the Office sees fit to which paragraph (a) or (b) of subsection (1) or subsection (2) relates and that are relevant to its functions.

(4) The Office shall include in its annual report to the Minister under section 31AH a report on—

(a) education and training activities, and

(b) research activities,

undertaken by it in respect of the year to which that report relates.]