27. (1) Each Minister of the Government shall, as soon as may be after the commencement of this section, prepare and publish a plan (in this Act referred to as a “sectoral implementation plan”) in relation to the matters referred to in subsection (2) outlining the programme of measures taken or proposed to be taken by or on behalf of the Minister concerned to ensure that—

(a) the Department of State concerned, and

(b) any body that provides a relevant service and receives funding from the Department concerned in that regard,

complies with the provisions of this Act and of the guidelines issued by the Minister under section 6.

(2) A sectoral implementation plan shall contain information concerning—

(a) relevant services provided by or on behalf of the Department of State concerned,

(b) measures taken or proposed to be taken to promote, review and report on compliance with the provisions of this Act and of the guidelines issued by the Minister under section 6,

(c) monitoring and review procedures in relation to the subject matter of the plan, and

(d) such other matters (if any) as the Minister of the Government concerned considers appropriate.

(3) Any plan that has been published by a Minister of the Government before the commencement of this section and in relation to the matters referred to in subsection (2) that is in force immediately before such commencement, shall be deemed, on such commencement, to be a sectoral implementation plan prepared and published by that Minister under subsection (1).

(4) As soon as may be after the preparation of a sectoral implementation plan or, in the case of a sectoral implementation plan to which subsection (3) applies, as soon as may be after the commencement of this section, the Minister of the Government concerned shall cause copies of the plan to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

(5) Each Minister of the Government shall review and, if appropriate, revise a sectoral implementation plan and publish a sectoral implementation plan as revised—

(a) not later than 3 years, or such other period as may be determined by the Minister, from the date of publication of that plan in accordance with this section or, in the case of a sectoral implementation plan to which subsection (3) applies, the date of the commencement of this section, and

(b) not later than 3 years, or such other period as may be determined by the Minister, from the date of the last review of that plan under this section.

(6) A sectoral implementation plan prepared by a Minister of the Government under subsection (1) may be amended by another sectoral implementation plan prepared by that Minister.