Vol. 499 No. 3
226 Ms Shortall asked the Minister for Finance the areas of responsibility, if any, his Department has with regard to the Government's policy on children; the areas of responsibility, if any, his Department has with regard to the Government's policy on the family; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2740/99]
My Department has no specific role as regards these policy areas, but the Deputy will be aware that it has a central role in policy development generally, ranging from its overall mission to promote an economy which will maximise growth, sustainable employment and social progress, through to its day-to-day involvement in advising on proposals put forward in formal Government memoranda; its participation in cross-departmental formulation of policy; its negotiations with Departments on expenditure allocations and its role in sanctioning specific expenditure proposals. My Department also has responsibility for taxation policy.
Such policy issues would, of course, include matters relating to children and the family.
