John Bruton
Question:2 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the councils which report to him; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27534/98]
Ceisteanna — Questions. - Reporting of Councils.
There are two councils which report to me, the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, and the National Competitiveness Council.
Why will the Taoiseach not accept questions on the National Competitiveness Council reports, given that it reports to him?
I have answered questions on the areas of the National Competitiveness Council reports which relate to my office on many occasions. However, I have been asked questions on the council's telecommunications report and statement of skills, which are not in my remit. The council covers many aspects which are not in my remit.
Is it the case that the National Competitiveness Council reports to the Taoiseach and not to another Minister for a particular reason? The reason is that its reports cover the entire range of Governmental activity. The only Minister who covers the entire range of Governmental activity, apart from the Minister for Finance, is the Taoiseach. Therefore, if answers are to be given on the National Competitiveness Council report, the appropriate person to answer is the Taoiseach. Why will he not accept questions about a report from a body which reports to him — not to the Minister for Public Enterprise or to the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment?
When the general report was brought forward in March last year, I answered detailed questions on it. There have since been many questions asked about the implementation of aspects of it. I have not answered those as they are not in my remit. I answered detailed questions when the annual report was circulated and when the council had a conference earlier in the year. Matters relating to communications, electricity and skills are not directly in my remit.
Supplementaries on questions not answered by the Taoiseach are not in order.
Is it not the case that the Taoiseach is directly involved in the subject matter of one of these reports which concerns the distribution of broad band cable throughout Ireland, which in turn will determine where jobs will be located outside Ireland? He is directly involved and has met those involved. Given that the National Competitiveness Council has reported to him on broad band technology, and the Taoiseach is personally involved, why will he not answer to the House?
Questions are a matter for the Chair and are guided by precedent.
On a point of order, and I can say this with some authority, the transfer of questions to another Minister is a matter for the Taoiseach and other Ministers. It is not a matter for the Chair who is not responsible for the complaints I have. My complaints relate to the Taoiseach transferring questions about the council report when it reported to him.
It is a question of collective responsibility.
It is a question of accountability.
The Taoiseach is dodging the issue.
In his reply the Taoiseach stated there are two bodies which report to him, one of which is the National Competitiveness Council. In that reporting relationship, is there an allocation of staff in his Department to pursue the implementation of the recommendations of such a report from a body which directly reports to his Department? If so, can he make available reports of the follow-up inquiries undertaken by his Department?
I can do that — the recommendations are pursued. As regards the points raised by Deputy Bruton, he knows we have discussed broad band technology on a number of occasions in this House. However, if I answered questions on the National Competitiveness Council report, I would cover education, public service, public enterprise, agriculture and other areas.
So the Taoiseach should.
There would be no need to have any other Minister involved in answering detailed questions.
Mr. Hayes
It happens every day.
It happens with general questions. I spend three times longer answering questions than was the case during Question Times of previous Governments.
I expended the same amount of time.
The Deputy did not. If he wants to get into that we will sort it out in about half an hour.
We gave straighter answers.
Less long-winded answers.
We asked the wrong questions.
The Minister of State often did.
We occasionally did. The Department follows up recommendations. I will make a report on that available to Deputy Quinn.
I thank the Taoiseach for his reply. He is saying that, notwithstanding that responsibility for following up recommendations may lie with a line Department, because the council reports to his Department which is following up on the implementation of the council's recommendations, no matter in which Department they may fall to be implemented, if questions are put down to the Taoiseach, his Department will not assign that question to the relevant line Department but answer it himself.
Under the principle of collective responsibility, questions of detail are a matter for another Minister.
A Cheann Comhairle, if you wish to enter into this debate ——
I am pointing out the precedent.
In this instance the precedent has been clearly established that the Taoiseach has seen fit to have the council report sent directly to his Department. He has now told the House that staff in his Department are following up the implementation of the recommendations. Therefore, that information is available in the Department of the Taoiseach. A question put in due course to the Department of the Taoiseach asking for the report on the implementation of recommendations, irrespective of where it may fall in a particular line Department, should — I put it to you, a Cheann Comhairle and to the Taoiseach, who appears to agree with me, notwithstanding precedent — rightfully be answered by the Department of the Taoiseach and not by the relevant Department, whether it is the Department of Public Enterprise or the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment.
Deputy Quinn is trying to find a way of making new precedent. He no more believes what he is saying than the man in the moon.
I do believe it. I believe in central government.
I do not think the Deputy does. There was no better person than he, when he was Minister for Finance, to make sure he did not answer questions which did not strictly come within his remit.
I believe in central government and the overriding role of the Department of the Taoiseach.
I will be answering questions shortly saying I am of the same view, where it is possible to co-ordinate Departments. If one was to follow what Deputy Quinn is saying to its logical conclusion, I would need to duplicate every single departmental person.
There are a few colleagues I would love the Taoiseach to duplicate — they are not doing their job at all.
While I have answered questions on all aspects in the House ——
I thank the Taoiseach for agreeing the precedent.
I cannot do it to the extent requested by the Deputy. He knows that.
I do not.
I have ruled on the matter. We must proceed to Question No. 3.