I have raised the issue of the status of the Technological Universities Bill on seven occasions. I do so because it is a massive issue in Waterford and the south east. We are the only region without a university. We also have the highest unemployment rate and the lowest educational attainment rates. It is massively important that this issue be resolved. Last week, in response to Teachta Howlin, the House was informed that the legislation has been recommitted to Committee Stage and that amendments will be tabled at the appropriate committee. Is that happening? Has it happened? Can the Minister, Deputy Coveney, or the Minister for Education and Skills outline when the Bill will be brought to a conclusion?

I want to refer to the same matter.

Deputy Butler on the same matter.

University status for the south east is extremely important in order to ensure the continued growth of the region. My question is similar to that of my colleague, Deputy Cullinane. When will the Technological Universities Bill come before the House? When can we expect to see the legislation? It is important for us.

The Minister of State, Deputy Mary Mitchell O'Connor, answered a question on this matter last week. The position is that a number of amendments were necessitated by the discussions with various stakeholders. Those amendments are at a very advanced stage in the Attorney General's office. The Minister of State indicated that she hoped to bring the Bill to committee at an early date. The ambition is to try, with the support of the House, to have it passed before Christmas.

Under the programme for Government and the Action Plan for Housing and Homelessness, the Department has encouraged and will fund what are known as turnkey projects. The basis of the project is that 10% of the funding will be delivered upfront and the remainder will be delivered once the project is complete and handed over. I understand that in the Minister's county of Cork, if a developer is willing to hand over land, 30% upfront funding is made available and this makes the development far more bankable and deliverable. I welcome that. I do not have any problem with it. In the context of procurement guidelines, I asked whether different rules apply to different counties.

If so, is that fair and can it be addressed? We cannot have a situation where developers in one county are trying to get something over the line and cannot get the necessary finance for it whereas in other counties they can. I welcome the initiative taken in Cork to allow 30% upfront funding.

Is the Deputy referring to Part V social housing within private housing estates or 100% social housing?

I am referring to 100% social housing as a turnkey development. The developer builds it and gets upfront funding. In Cork, they get a far more bankable and attractive offer to get the process over the line.

In Cork city and county they are very proactive in trying to get projects moving. I do not know whether the funding initiative, which essentially is what it is, to try to help developers from a cash point of view is unique to Cork or is on the instruction of the Department. We can establish that for the Deputy. We should have a common approach - the best approach - to getting these projects moving quickly nationally.

That is what I want.

The heads of the personal injuries assessment board (amendment) Bill were approved on 27 June. When will the pre-legislative scrutiny take place and when will the Bill come before the House?

I do not have a date for publication. Of all the people, I would like to have a date for Deputy Durkan. I will get a date for him.

I have a question on the programme for Government and a very serious anomaly. A person who applies for carer's allowance for someone who is terminally ill must wait four months for a decision. Unfortunately, sometimes, that time is not there for the person who wants to receive the carer's allowance because the person is terminally ill and does not have that time to spare. Somebody needs to explain to the Minister that this will have to be expedited. Once the person is terminally ill and once the proper medical evidence is in, the carer's allowance should be granted immediately upon applying for it. It is a very fair and ordinary request.

The medical evidence is there.

I am not personally familiar with the exact procedures and timelines. I take the point the Deputy makes. We clearly cannot stand over it taking four months to make a decision on the care of a person who may not have that time. I presume there is a streamlined decision-making process that is possible in those circumstances. If that is not the case, I can certainly ask the Department of Health to revert to the Deputy on it.