Vol. 489 No. 7
8 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the progress being made towards achieving the legislative and administrative priorities of his Department for 1998; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9262/98]
The priorities of the Department of the Taoiseach for the period 1998-2001 will be set out in my Department's new strategy statement, produced under the Public Service Management Act, 1997. The statement will be laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas on 1 May. The priorities extend beyond 1998 but are, nonetheless, directly relevant for this year. Many are of an ongoing nature and build on existing initiatives.
The priorities include the implementation of legislative and other measures necessary to give effect to the Agreement reached in the Northern Ireland multi-party negotiations as the House has discussed; implementation of Partnership 2000 and the further development of the social partnership process; the ongoing development of national policy in relation to European and International affairs with a particular emphasis on ensuring an effective Irish input to the work of the European Council on major issues on the EU agenda; participation by Ireland in the third stage of EMU and ensuring that the outcome of the Agenda 2000 negotiations meets our national needs are of special importance in this regard; deepening and strengthening the SMI process throughout the Civil and Public Service; facilitating access by the public to information held by my Department, as provided for by the Freedom of Information Act, 1997; promotion of concerted action in relation to economic and social policy, and maximising the contribution of the IFSC to the economy; production of a revised edition of the Government Procedure Instructions; a number of measures to facilitate greater co-ordination between the State's legal offices are being put in place, including a consultative committee to promote better liaison and communications among the legal offices on issues of common interest; an extensive programme of events to mark the 200th anniversary of the 1798 Rebellion that is under way and will continue throughout the year.
The role and functions of the National Economic and Social Council and the National Economic and Social Forum have been reviewed in conjunction with the social partners under the terms of Partnership 2000 and the Government has decided to renew the mandate of both bodies. The nomination procedure to allow for the reconstitution of these bodies is almost complete. I expect to be in a position shortly to make an announcement on the matter. A Bill to place both bodies on a statutory footing is at an early stage of preparation in my Department.
Is the Government still committed to introducing a Bill to provide a statutory rigidity around the NESC and the NESF or is he reconsidering that matter as I asked previously?
This was discussed before Easter. I conveyed the views expressed in the House and the Bill is at an early stage of preparation. I have asked to be consulted on why this was requested and required by those involved. I will again look at the arguments.
Will the Taoiseach agree that the main purpose of this strategy statement is to provide a means of comparing governmental aspiration and administrative performance? If that is the case it is important that the objectives should be quantifiable and dated in terms of when they should be achieved rather than simply aspirational and general, where no means of actual assessment is possible? Will he consider the introduction in the statement of dates for the achievement of particular targets to ensure there will be some basis for examining whether a section that was to deliver on a particular objective is doing the job at the pace expected by it and by others? Will he agree in the absence of specific dates and targets this could be not much more than a purely aspirational paper exercise?
As far as possible, dates for the achievement of targets are included. I agree they serve as a check on the priorities in the Department and on what one is trying to achieve. I can speak only for my own Department, how it was built up and developed since l994 when this initiative commenced. Each group of employees and civil servants document what they are trying to achieve, discuss it and move it through the various divisions right up to the Minister — in my case the Taoiseach — and the senior officials. This ensures people are committed to it and that it is not a jumble of words and pious aspirations that are never implemented. In terms of the discussions which have taken place in the Department of the Taoiseach, we have endeavoured to say what is achievable, how it can be achieved and monitored. I am in favour of this procedure as otherwise one could fill hundreds of pages and yet have no implementation plan. Most of the effort I have put into this — I do not want to overstate it because it was done mainly by the various divisions and the civil servants — was based on what I can realistically implement. It is probably easier to do this in the Department of the Taoiseach than in some of the mainstream Departments. It is a good practice.
