John Bruton
Question:1 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach when the Bill to create the Office for Economic and Social Development will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19244/00]
Ceisteanna – Questions. - Proposed Legislation.
Ruairí Quinn
Question:2 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the proposals for legislation being prepared under the auspices of his Department where heads have been approved by the Government; the expected date of publication; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19852/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.
Drafting of the Bill to create the Office for Economic and Social Development is proceeding. As Deputies will be aware, arising out of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, it is intended to locate the National Centre for Partnership and Performance within the proposed Office for Economic and Social Development alongside the National Economic and Social Council and the National Economic and Social Forum.
The discussions with the social partners regarding the detailed arrangements to be put in place to give effect to the strengthened institutional structures have been concluded, and proposals were brought to Government in July. These were agreed and the parliamentary counsel is being asked to incorporate the necessary amendments relating to the NCPP into the draft legislation.
It is expected that the Bill will now be published in 2001.
Will the Taoiseach agree that the value of these organisations is to be found in the extent to which the Government is willing to listen to them and to take their proposals on board?
The three organisations, the NESC which looks at the overall national strat egy, the NESF which helps in the preparation, implementation and monitoring and now the partnership process which looks at better practices within the private and public sector, are the three strands and all have to work closely with Government.
Given that the Taoiseach says the value of a body such as the NESF is demonstrated by the Government's willingness to take its views on board, will the Government take on board the NESF's views that the Government's individualisation proposals benefited only the better off in that 20% of the top income cohort got 80% of the benefit and that the NESF's views should be taken into account in that this divisive and unnecessary approach to tax policy should be set aside?
Those are matters for the budget but we do take account of the views of these organisations. The NESF and the NESC have put forward their views on other budgetary aspects.
This Bill, included in last year's list of legislation published in September, was promised for late 1999. Will the Taoiseach explain what the significant changes are in the drafting of the legislation that arose out of the negotiations with the social partners leading to the current programme? In what way will the draft Bill now being cleared and with the parliamentary draftsman be significantly different from that which was all but cleared more than 12 months ago?
The only difference is that NCPP was not included in the framework of the first legislation. The legislation is exactly the same but NCPP was changed as part of the process of the last programme. As the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness came into being the discussions took place between the social partners to include NCPP in what is the umbrella group now to look after the three organisations. That is the only change.
If that is the only change and bearing in mind that virtually every ministerial speech lauds social partnership as one of the foundations upon which our recent success has been constructed, does the Taoiseach think the delay of more than a year is warranted? Can he indicate that he will bring in this legislation at the earliest possible opportunity in the new year?
It will be introduced at the earliest possible opportunity, but it has not been delayed for more than a year. What was agreed in the programme was that this would be included within the umbrella and that it would be left to the social partners to discuss how best that should happen. Those discussions did not start until Easter. I admit it has delayed the legislation somewhat. NCPP will now be part of the legislation and I hope it will help to deepen the partnership arrangements through the various mechanisms which were working. They have extended their role and we will try to get the legislation through as quickly as possible.