Vol. 416 No. 2
2 Mr. Yates asked the Taoiseach if he has any proposals to reorganise the Departments of the Marine, the Environment and Tourism, Transport and Communications so as to merge all aspects of the transport portfolio on to one Ministry and Department in the context of the increasing importance of an integrated transport policy of the Single Market of 1993; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
While I do not rule out changes in the allocation of functions and responsibilities between Ministers and Departments generally, I believe that the assignment of full responsibility for all transport functions to a single Department or organisation is not the only, or necessarily the best, way of achieving now the best integration of policy and programmes.
Major organisational changes affecting Government Departments and other public sector organisations take time and while achieving integration in certain respects, can create new difficulties. Any proposals for such changes, therefore, need to be evaluated carefully before being decided on.
The key to the coherent implementation of Government policy — including transport policy — across departmental lines is proper co-ordination.
Thus, the Operational Programme on Peripherality which was drawn up by the Government and approved by the EC Commission represents a major advance towards an integrated transport policy. Although the Minister for the Environment and his Department were assigned the lead role in the preparation of this programme, the Ministers for the Marine and for Tourism, Transport and Communications, together with their subsidiary agencies, were also fully involved. The result is a comprehensive and integrated set of measures relating to all elements of the transportation system, including finance, planning, roads, railways, ports and airports.
The Government will also ensure that a fully integrated set of transport measures are put forward to the EC Commission for assistance from the Structural Funds (including the new Cohesion Fund) in the period after 1993, and that appropriate co-ordination arrangements are made for effective and efficient implementation.
Finally, I can assure the Deputy that, the Government, in the discharge of their business generally, will always seek to ensure that the various functions and interests are properly co-ordinated.
Would the Taoiseach not agree that it makes no sense to have aviation, shipping and roads, dealt with in completely different Departments with separate Ministries? Furthermore, is he aware that the Confederation of Irish Industry, in addition to the transport sector, have consistently argued for a single transport Ministry? In view of the fact that Irish transport costs are twice the European average, would he not now consider merging these Departments into one single Department of Transport?
No, I would not agree. It is not necessarily the best way to do business. As I have already said, the Operational Programme on Peripherality clearly shows that the programme drawn up by the Government, approved by the EC Commission, represents a major advance towards an integrated transport policy. Although the Minister for the Environment and his Department were assigned the lead role in the preparation of this programme all the other Ministers concerned have inputs. The result is a comprehensive, integrated set of measures — which is really what we are all endeavouring to achieve at the end of the day — which relates to the various elements of the transportation system, including roads, railways, ports and airports. A committee, representative of the Departments of the Environment, Tourism, Transport and Communications, the Marine, various public sector bodies, the trade unions, CII, CIF and the EC meet at quarterly intervals to monitor the operations of the programme with the assistance of an independent, external evaluator.
Is the Taoiseach aware that in most European countries, Denmark being the latest example, there is a single transport Ministry? Furthermore, is he aware that in the last programme on peripherality not one penny of EC funds was allocated to inter-city rail in comparison with allocations to roads? Would he agree there is no integrated planning or interdepartmental mechanism in place for such an integrated plan? In view of all these developments, in the context of the Single European Market coming into being in January next, would he not now review this and consider merging some of those Departments?
No, I am not convinced by the Deputy's argument. The Operational Programme on Peripherality is a clear example of how one draws all the strands together——
The former Minister, Deputy Flynn's bluff.
If Europe thought in the way the Deputy does they would not now be talking under present headings. That is the position as I see it. In relation to integrated rail within the overall Dublin transportation system, the Deputy should be aware that the Government authorised the commencement of work on stage 2 of the Dublin Transportation study which will produce a long term, broad transportation strategy for the greater Dublin area together with an effective process for on-going transportation planning and clear guidance on appropriate institutional arrangements for ensuring effective implementation of the adopted strategy and implementation programme. Here again, the lead role rests with the Department of the Environment but other Ministers are and will continue to be fully involved at all stages.
Going in all different directions. It does not work.
I am calling Question No. 3.
