27.— (1) Subject to subsections (2) and (4), the chief executive of an education and training board shall, as soon as practicable after the commencement of this section, and in every fifth year thereafter, prepare and submit a strategy statement (in this Act referred to as a “strategy statement”) to the board for the following 5 year period.

(2) The Minister may direct a chief executive of an education and training board to prepare and submit a strategy statement to the board—

(a) within a specified period, and

(b) in respect of such period as is specified in the direction.

(3) A strategy statement shall specify the objectives of the board, the priorities of the specified objectives and the strategies for achieving those objectives—

(a) in the case of a statement prepared and submitted under subsection (1), for the 5 year period concerned, and

(b) in the case of a statement prepared and submitted under subsection (2), for the period specified in the direction.

(4) A chief executive shall, in preparing a strategy statement, consult, in such manner as the education and training board concerned considers appropriate, with—

(a) boards of management of recognised schools maintained by it,

(b) persons performing functions which are the same as, or substantially the same as, functions exercised by boards of management referred to in paragraph (a), in relation to—

(i) centres for education maintained by it,

(ii) education or training facilities maintained or resourced by it, or

(iii) children detention schools, prisons or facilities maintained by other public service bodies where the board provides education or training,

(c) members of its staff,

(d) students of recognised schools or centres for education maintained by it,

(e) learners in children detention schools, prisons, education or training facilities or facilities maintained by other public service bodies where the board provides education or training,

(f) parents of students referred to in paragraph (d) and parents of learners referred to in paragraph (e) where the students or learners have not attained the age of 18 years,

(g) bodies representative of business, industry and employers, and

(h) such other persons as, in the opinion of the board, are likely to—

(i) be affected by the operation of the strategy statement, and

(ii) have a significant interest in the implementation of the strategy statement.

(5) A chief executive shall, in preparing a strategy statement, have regard to—

(a) such policy directions of the Minister as are notified to the board under section 10(4), and

(b) the financial resources that are likely to be available to give effect to the strategy statement concerned.

(6) An education and training board shall, as soon as practicable after the receipt of a strategy statement submitted to it under this section—

(a) adopt the strategy statement, or

(b) adopt the strategy statement with such modifications as it considers appropriate, having consulted with the chief executive.

(7) The chief executive of the education and training board concerned shall, as soon as practicable after a strategy statement has been adopted (whether with or without modifications), give a copy of the strategy statement to—

(a) the Minister,

(b) the board of management of each recognised school maintained by, and

(c) persons performing functions which are the same as, or substantially the same as, functions exercised by boards of management referred to in paragraph (b), in relation to—

(i) centres for education maintained by it,

(ii) education or training facilities maintained or resourced by it, or

(iii) children detention schools, prisons or facilities maintained by other public service bodies where it provides education or training.

(8) An education and training board shall publish a strategy statement on the internet as soon as practicable after the board has adopted it.