47.— (1) A chief executive of an education and training board shall, on the basis of the provisional expenditure limit notified to the board under section 46(1)(a), within one month of receipt of such notification, prepare and submit to the board a plan setting out—

(a) the services that the board proposes to provide, and

(b) an estimate of income and expenditure of the board,

during the financial year commencing on 1 January of that year (in this Act referred to as an “annual service plan”).

(2) An annual service plan shall be in such form and contain such information as the Minister may determine.

(3) An education and training board shall, in relation to an annual service plan submitted under subsection (1), not later than 1 March in each year—

(a) adopt the plan, or

(b) after consultation with the chief executive, adopt the plan with such modifications as it considers appropriate.

(4) An education and training board shall, not later than 42 days after service of a notice of its expenditure limit as finally determined under section 46(1)(b) and after consultation with the chief executive, make any amendments to the annual service plan which it considers appropriate and adopt the amended plan.

(5) As soon as may be after an annual service plan has been adopted under subsection (3) and on each occasion that an amended annual service plan is adopted under this section by an education and training board, the chief executive of that board shall give a copy of the annual service plan or amended annual service plan, as the case may be, to—

(a) the Minister,

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

(c) the 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,

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

(6) Each education and training board shall publish its annual service plan adopted under subsection (3) and each amended annual service plan adopted by it under this section, as the case may be, on the internet as soon as practicable after such adoption.

(7) A chief executive in preparing an annual service plan or an amended annual service plan and an education and training board in adopting an annual service plan or an amended annual service plan, as the case may be, shall ensure that the plan is in such form and contains such information as the Minister determines.

(8) Where, in the opinion of the Minister, an annual service plan or an amended annual service plan submitted to him or her is not in accordance with the policies and objectives of the Government or the Minister in so far as they relate to the education and training board concerned, the Minister may direct the board to make, within a specified period, such modifications to the annual service plan or amended annual service plan as he or she considers appropriate.

(9) An education and training board to whom a direction under subsection (8) is given shall comply with such direction.

(10) An education and training board may, where it considers it necessary, request the chief executive of the board to prepare and submit to the board an amended annual service plan to take account of any variation in the expenditure limit as finally determined under section 46(1)(b).

(11) An education and training board shall request the chief executive of the board to prepare and submit to the board an amended annual service plan in accordance with a direction under section 46(5)(a).

(12) An education and training board shall, in relation to the amended annual service plan submitted to it under subsection (10) or (11)—

(a) adopt the amended annual service plan, or

(b) after consultation with the chief executive, adopt the amended annual service plan with such modifications as it considers appropriate.

(13) Where an education and training board fails, in any financial year, to adopt an annual service plan or amended annual service plan, as the case may be—

(a) under subsection (3), by 1 March of that year,

(b) within the period referred to in subsection (4),

(c) within the period specified under subsection (8),

(d) within the period specified under section 46(5)(a),

the Minister may direct that education and training board to submit an annual service plan or amended annual service plan, as the case may be, to him or her within such period (not exceeding 10 days from the giving of the direction) as may be specified in the direction.

(14) Where an education and training board fails to submit an annual service plan or amended annual service plan, as the case may be, to the Minister in accordance with a direction given under subsection (13), the Minister may direct the chief executive of that education and training board to prepare and submit an annual service plan or amended annual service plan, as the case may be, to him or her not later than 10 days after the service of the direction on the chief executive.