Liz O'Donnell
Question:18 Ms O'Donnell asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the recommendations, if any, of the Forfás report entitled, Shaping Our Future, which have been implemented. [10563/97]
Written Answers. - Shaping Our Future Report.
I refer the Deputy to my previous replies of 26 June 1996, 22 October 1996 and 4 February 1997 to questions regarding the implementation of recommendations contained in the Forfás report, Shaping Our Future, and regarding the status of the report vis-á-vis Government policy.
Shaping Our Future is an advisory report on the possible future development and direction of policy to the year 2010 over a wide range of areas spanning the interests of my Department and other Departments.
In relation to my Department and agencies, the report is a valuable resource on matters such as enterprise strategy, services policy, skills shortages and competitiveness. I am also satisfied that it is contributing appropriately to policy formulation and prioritisation affecting the broad span of issues which it addresses.
Forfás is in the process of establishing a reporting system to periodically evaluate, from its own perspective, progress made under different readings. I would see no problem in making such reports available to facilitate debate and decision making on important policy and strategic issues which Shaping Our Future encompasses. In this respect, however, I would stress that, in the final analysis, responsibility for making the choices and taking the decision involved rests with Government and the Oireachtas.