asked the Taoiseach if he will give in respect of the Government's information programme on 1992 EUROPEN the following information: (1) the overall budget provision in 1989 for the campaign, (2) the number of events which have been directly or indirectly assisted by the campaign, (3) the number of events-meetings at which Government Ministers have attended, (4) the number of officials in his Department who are directly involved in monitoring this campaign; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - 1992 EUROPEN Campaign.
8.
A sum of £300,000 is being provided in 1988 in the Vote for the Department of the Taoiseach for certain central costs related to the EUROPEN campaign and a Supplementary Estimate covering this amount will be brought before the Dáil later today. It is anticipated that the full allocation will have been spent by 31 December. Provision is also being made for a similar amount in the 1989 Estimates. The International Division is responsible for such monitoring of the campaign as is required in so far as my Department are concerned. With regard to parts 2 and 3 of his question, I would refer the Deputy to my reply to his written Question No. 67 today.
Let me, if I may, compliment the Government on the success of the campaign to date in arousing the awareness of the community at large in relation to 1992. Having said that, let me ask the Government and the Taoiseach if they are satisfied that the level of awareness — on which I compliment them — which they have succeeded in generating will percolate through all the various enterprises and that the rights of individuals in any enterprise are likely to be affected either positively or adversely by the completion of the internal market. Will the rights of those people be respected and will they have the possibility of access to ensure that their future will be secured? Will the campaign now take on the direction of ensuring that such people, having been made aware of the implications of 1992, will have the means of assuring themselves that their position will be safeguarded and consolidated?
I appeal for brevity.
I can be fairly reassuring to the Deputy on that matter. He is probably aware the trade unions are fully involved in this work. We arranged when President Delors was over here that he would address the Congress. President Delors has a keen personal interest in ensuring that the position and rights of workers are fully protected. Also, we are ensuring through the monitoring committee of the Programme for National Recovery that everything that is happening is being brought to attention and discussed at that central committee. Therefore, the Deputy can be assured that workers through their representatives are being made fully aware of what is happening.
Would the Taoiseach agree that there have been quite a few meetings since he last answered questions on this matter? Notwithstanding the facts in relation to the frequency of those meetings or the numbers of people participating, would the Taoiseach not agree that at most of those meetings, certainly the ones of which I have received reports, the rights of workers in private enterprise companies to have access to the implications of what is happening in their firms has not been fully or adequately enunciated either by the private sector organisations or by Government sector organisations along the lines President Delors has expressed?
I appeal for brevity and avoidance of repetition.
Consequently, could the Taoiseach indicate today, either now or perhaps this evening when the Estimate is being taken, what steps he proposes to take to address that imbalance?
I was not aware and would not readily accept that there was such an imbalance but, as the Deputy has raised it, I will discuss it as a matter of urgency with those concerned, particularly with the central committee of the Programme for National Recovery.