Enda Kenny
Question:3 Mr. E. Kenny asked the Taoiseach the up-to-date position on meetings of programme managers and the progress to date of the implementation of the Programme for a Partnership Government, 1993-1997.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Programme Managers' Meetings.
The partnership programme managers have been meeting on a regular basis, approximately once a week, to assist their Ministers in managing and co-ordinating the achievement of the objectives in the Programme for a Partnership Government, 1993-1997.
I am fully satisfied with progress on the implementation of the commitments in the Programme for Government. Many commitments have been implemented through the budget and the Social Welfare Act. The Finance Bill, published last week, will, when enacted, give effect to a wide range of objectives in the partnership programme especially in relation to investment in jobs. The Government will, before the end of June, finalise the £12 billion National Development Plan which will give a further major impetus to the implementation of the Programme for Government.
The House is aware that the Programme for a Partnership Government, 1993-1997 was negotiated by teams from the Fianna Fáil and Labour parties and these were the only teams privy to the details of those discussions. What specific proposals have been put forward by the squadron of programme managers to co-ordinate and implement the programme prepared by the teams from each party?
The agenda for programme managers is the Programme for Government. It is their job to ensure it is implemented. If the Deputy has questions in regard to a specific area he should table a question to the appropriate Minister.
The Deputy asked for the up-to-date position on meetings of programme managers and the progress to date. Therefore, it is inclusive, not exclusive, of any particular area. What progress has been made in respect of the proposal to update the law on freedom of expression and to change the law on defamation?
That is a rather specific question.
If Deputies want an answer to a specific question they should table a question so as to be in order in the House.
Does this not fall within the remit of the question which asks about the "up-to-date position on meetings of programme managers", the highly paid officials? What progress have they made? I asked a legitimate question on the progress that has been made on one item promised in page 40 of that programme.
If the Deputy wants to table a question to a specific Minister, it is his right to do so. As the House is well aware, there has been widespread implementation of the programme across a wide area in health, social welfare, the environment and so on. If the Deputy wants answers to specifics, he should table separate questions to the appropriate Ministers.
Will the Taoiseach indicate how these meetings operate and the relationship between the programme managers and the Cabinet? At meetings of programme managers do senior civil servants from each Department and the Minister or Minister of State attend?
The meetings are for programme managers and the chairman of those meetings is a senior civil servant from my Department.
In the event of a programme manager not being able to attend such meetings, who deputises for him or her? In other words, is it the Secretary or Assistant Secretary of the Department who deputises for him? In the interests of transparency, has a full declaration of interests been sought from the programme managers particularly those recruited from the private sector?
We are now having an extension of the question.
Does the Taoiseach agree with the general perception of Members that the Fianna Fáil programme managers seem to be leading the Labour Party programme managers on a merry dance in terms of the implementation of this programme in spite of all the mobile phones?
The Irish people will judge.
Does the Taoiseach agree that Fianna Fáil programme managers are running rings around Labour Party appointees?
Does the Taoiseach agree with Deputy Kenny that the collective noun for programme managers is squadron?
High flyers.
Are the memoranda to Government available to programme managers? Have they access to such documents?
All documentation pertaining to the carrying out of their work of implementing the Programme for Government is available to them.
That is not answering the question.
I am sorry. I facilitated the Deputy, he heard the reply and I have no control over the nature of replies and little control over some of the questions.
The Taoiseach knows better than me what a memorandum to Government is. I simply asked if programme managers have access to these documents.
If it pertains to their meetings on a particular day.
Do programme managers have any input into such brilliant ideas as the 1 per cent income levy; the 2 per cent probate tax and the increase in telephone charges.
That question is fairly wide ranging.
I now call Question No. 4 in the name of Deputy Allen. The questions we are about to embark upon are priority questions, for which 20 minutes only is provided in our Standing Orders.