asked the Minister for Finance when the National Enterprise Agency provided for in the national understanding will be established.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - National Enterprise Agency.
36.
I have recently held discussions with representatives of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and with the industry and employer organisations on proposals to establish a national enterprise agency arising from the national understanding. I will be holding a joint meeting with representatives from both groups later today to discuss the issues involved, and to enable me to prepare comprehensive proposals for the Government on the establishment of the agency.
Can the Minister indicate if the proposals for this agency are similar in any way to the proposals in the Fianna Fáil Manifesto regarding the establishment of an industrial development consortium?
The terms of reference of the National Enterprise Agency derive from the national understanding. That is the reference point.
Will the Government's commitment to an industrial development consortium be in conflict in any way with the proposed National Enterprise Agency?
It will not.
Will they be two parallel organisations?
One of the matters to be considered later this afternoon is the question of ensuring that the activities of the National Enterprise Agency will be unfettered within the agency's range of activities and, equally, that there will not be any overlap with the activities of any other agency, be it the IDA or any other.
Obviously, the establishment of the National Enterprise Agency is of critical importance, particularly as it is part of a national commitment. May we take it from the Minister's reply that there is not any intention of proceeding with an industrial development consortium?
The Deputy may not take that from what I said. I am saying that there will not be any conflict between the National Enterprise Agency and any other agency, but I am not commenting one way or the other on the consortium to which the Deputy refers.
Question No. 37.
I wish to ask one supplementary.
This must be the final supplementary on this question.
I am astonished to hear the Minister say that the meeting concerned is taking place only this afternoon. Is this a fair indication of the sense of urgency with which the Minister regards his commitment in terms of the national understanding? There would not be a meeting at all this afternoon if it had not been for Deputy Cluskey tabling this question.
I do not know whether the Deputy was in in time to hear my reply, but I am holding a meeting with representatives from both groups today with a view to finalising the agreement on the proposal which I would then put to the Government. I have met separately already with ICTU and with the industry and employer organisations and our officials have been meeting for some considerable time. Therefore, I regret to inform the Deputy that his interpretation of the situation is totally wrong.
Question No. 37 has been called.
May I ask the Minister—
We have noved on to the next question.
Am I not entitled to ask one supplementary on Question No. 36?
We had a number of supplementaries on the question and had moved on to the next question, but I shall allow the Deputy one supplementary.
This question was directed first to the Taoiseach but he refused to accept it, though I understand he is leading the discussions.
This is a statement whereas I have given the Deputy permission to raise one supplementary.
Precisely what will be the role of the National Enterprise Agency?
That is a matter which I hope will be clarified during the discussions this afternoon, but in general terms the role of the agency is to be that set out in the national understanding. I should hope that as a result of the discussions this afternoon I would be able to put a proposal to the Government within the coming week.
We must move on to the next question.
Can the Minister say whether other matters, such as the creation of jobs and the publication of a White Paper on Education which have not been finalised under the national understanding, are likely to be finalised?
That question would seem to relate to a previous question.
I suggest that it relates to a question we disposed of a short while ago.
If the Deputy refers to the tabular statement supplied with the reply to the question concerned, I am sure he will be disappointed to find the level of progress that has been made.
This relates to a question disposed of two or three questions back.
The Minister is as ignorant of the developments as I am——
Order.