Pat Rabbitte
Question:1 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach his Department's role in the preparation, production and distribution of the Government's progress report on 3 June 2003; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17502/03]
Ceisteanna – Questions. - Programmes for Government.
Enda Kenny
Question:2 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach the arrangements within his Department for monitoring the implementation of the agreed programme for Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17585/03]
Trevor Sargent
Question:3 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the production and distribution of the Government's progress report published in June 2003. [17663/03]
Enda Kenny
Question:4 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach the progress to date in respect of the implementation of those elements of the agreed programme for Government for which his Department is responsible; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19547/03]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.
I am pleased to have this opportunity to make a statement to the House on the implementation of the agreed programme for Government between Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats. Our programme for Government is both clear in intent and specific in detail. It is the agreed agenda for this partnership Government over five full years.
In regard to the query about elements of the programme for which my Department is responsible, implementation of the programme for Government is the responsibility of the Government collectively and of individual Ministers in respect of their areas of responsibility. My Department derives its mandate from my role as head of Government and, as such, it is involved to some degree in virtually all aspects of the work of the Government across the range of Departments. It provides support to me as Taoiseach and to the Government through the Government secretariat, the Cabinet committee system and its involvement in key policy areas and initiatives.
The key areas for which my Department is responsible in terms of the agreed programme for Government can be broadly summarised as follows: supporting the development and implementation of policy in a co-ordinated way across Departments, including servicing the activities of relevant Cabinet committees; working with the British Government and the pro-Agreement parties to achieve the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in all its aspects; co-ordinating the e-Government initiative to bring about an expansion in the range and quality of on-line Government services and ensuring that Ireland's key objectives in the European Union are carried forward in the context of my role as a member of the European Council and the forthcoming Irish Presidency.
Our overriding priority, as set out in the programme for Government, is to secure lasting peace in Northern Ireland and we have worked intensively towards this objective. The Government, in partnership with the British Government and the pro-Agreement parties, is continuing to work for the full implementation of the Good Friday Agreement and the restoration of devolved Government to Northern Ireland. The parties have indicated their commitment to resolving the outstanding issues as quickly as possible so we can proceed with early elections. The Govern ment is committed to working with all sides to ensure that elections go ahead and that an effective executive and assembly are returned.
On European affairs, we honoured our commitment to submit the Nice treaty on enlargement to the people in a referendum in a way which addressed the concerns of the people as expressed during the previous referendum and in the national forum on Europe. We are committed to playing a full part in the European Convention and the Europe-wide debate on the future shape of the European Union, which is being spearheaded in part by the work of the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Roche.
With regard to social partnership, a new national agreement, Sustaining Progress, was negotiated and is seen as a reasonable basis for continuing the partnership process. In line with the commitment in the programme for Government, the review of models of participation in the social partnership process to examine ways of maximising both the efficiency of the process and the potential contribution of the diverse and vibrant community and voluntary sectors has been completed. The community and voluntary pillar of social partnership has been expanded and it now has 15 member organisations which have endorsed Sustaining Progress, six individual members and nine organisations in the strands of older people, disability, housing, children, rural, local-voluntary and care.
Our commitment to funding a programme of data gathering on social indicators, to ensure that policies are developed on the basis of sound information, has already been addressed with the publication of the report of the steering group on social and equality statistics. Building on this report, the statistical potential of administrative records group was established. The group has now reported. The report gives a more detailed analysis of the data holdings of six Departments and makes recommendations for data developments in each of the Departments.
Progress on the Government programme is kept constantly under review. For every full year of the last Government's term of office we published an annual progress report and in June we published the first annual progress report of the current administration. As in previous years, the report was put together to a large extent by my advisory staff. In most instances, they sought material from other Departments, largely through ministerial advisers, and they edited and redrafted this material to fit the chosen format for the progress report. Accordingly, there were no additional costs accruing to my Department, in terms of staff or other matters.
The Government Press Office distributed the document to the national and local media in the same way all reports are disseminated to the press. Arrangements were also made to ensure that copies of the report were made available to each Member of the Oireachtas on the recommencement of the House. A full copy of the report can also be accessed on the website of the Department of the Taoiseach.
Regarding that progress report, what progress has been made on extending eligibility for medical cards to 200,000 people as promised?
That will have to be examined in a budgetary light. As the Deputy is aware, last year we were not able to extend eligibility, but the matter will be looked at again as part of this year's budgetary process.
What progress has been made on recruiting the 2,000 extra gardaí promised?
We hope that the number for this year will be increased to 12,200, which is the largest number we have ever had. The number of training places in Templemore is at its highest ever this year. As resources permit, we will continue to make progress on the matter and one hopes that we will be able to achieve our aim. Numbers are 450 up on this time last year.
What progress has been made on eliminating hospital waiting lists by 6 May 2004?
Substantial progress has been made on hospital waiting lists. The last figures issued showed substantial decreases across all areas of hospital waiting lists. While their elimination is an enormous challenge, the Government is still doing its best, with staff, resources and additional beds put into hospitals to deal with the issue. In the order of 98,000 more people have availed of hospital services. Keeping waiting lists down is an ongoing challenge, but the last figures were encouraging.
Arising from the Taoiseach's response to the last question, when is it expected that the promised integrated ticketing system will apply? I am now told that it will not happen until 2006. Second, when will we see the establishment of the greater Dublin area land use and transport authority? There is no sign of the legislation. Third, when will we see the dedicated traffic corps promised within six months of the Government taking power? Fourth, what is the current status of the Government's programme for regional decentralisation? When is an announcement likely? When will public servants be transferred to the chosen towns?
The Chair is reluctant to intervene in the nature of questions, but such detailed questions would be more appropriate to the line Minister with responsibility. In general terms, it is fair for the Taoiseach to answer, but it is not reasonable to expect him to answer detailed questions that are, strictly speaking, the responsibility of line Ministers.
I will make brief replies. On decentralisation, the Department of Finance will introduce proposals before Christmas. The committee responsible has completed its work and has made preliminary recommendations to the Minister. On the traffic corps, both the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform have been working on proposals. On the integrated ticketing proposals, this is a complex area. It is hoped to introduce proposals in the next year. The process is a complex one, but the Minister is committed to bringing forward proposals. On the land use Bill, as stated in reply to the question on legislation yesterday, the decision has been made to have a policy review and perhaps to proceed in another way. There is a number of Bills in the area and the proposal is to integrate them and bring them forward in a policy review. The Ministers, Deputies Cullen and Brennan, have been dealing with that.
I thank the Taoiseach for his replies. Will he give me one example of a transport project promised in the programme for Government which will be delivered on time? I am not referring to the State car for the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad.
The Deputy should give the Minister credit for the progress made on penalty points and road safety. Anyone who was around the country in the summer will have seen the enormous infrastructural work going on. The road plans have been there for a long time, but with the implementation of those plans in many parts of the country we are now not too far from the vision of people in this House ten or 20 years ago of a major road from the Border to Rosslare. That was the big plan, but there were no resources to buy the land or design the roads. With the exception of the 11km road around Dundalk, which will shortly commence, the road will go all the way to Dublin, linking up with the port tunnel. There is also the enormous project through Ashford, Rathnew and the Glen of the Downs. These are major projects which have been started, not to mention—
Not one but many.
Allow the Taoiseach.
I want to tell the House how many there are.
Is there even one on time?
Sometimes we forget that €1.25 billion has been spent this year on road construction alone, that is €100 million per month. Projects all over the country are coming to fruition.
Will the Taoiseach tell the House about the damage being caused to public transport by Dublin port tunnel?
May I ask the Taoiseach two questions? Has the Cabinet carried out any analysis of the procedures followed whereby the intent of major contractors appears to be to get in on the tender ladder, following which costs escalate wildly? An analysis of works already done and the outturn costs as against the tender costs submitted would prove interesting. There is a need for effective management in implementation of tender costs accepted rather than projects being delivered for wildly exaggerated prices.
Has the Taoiseach given any consideration to the common good in respect of major projects which are often held up for long periods by objections, spurious or otherwise, to An Bord Pleanála? For example, Enterprise Energy bringing a major gas pipeline ashore is clearly in the common good. While cognisance has to be taken of legitimate objections by residents and so on, the Government should be able to make a decision in the common good in cases that are of major national import. Has the Taoiseach given any consideration to that issue in the context of the implementation of the programme for Government?
I share many of Deputy Kenny's views in the area of public accounts reports and have done so for many years. The huge difference between tender prices and the outturn has been a major issue. What traditionally happens is that contractors come in on a price and then try to get all the extras. In fairness, a number of the contracts are now coming in on time. The proposal by the Minister for Transport, Deputy Brennan, which will take effect in the next few months, to issue the tender price against the actual amount spent on a monthly or quarterly basis will show people what happens. There is also the decision to bring in outside contractors. For example, the Kilcock-Kinnegad project is being carried out by a Spanish contractor and a number of other contractors.
The Minister for Transport has informed me that all new contracts will be fixed price contracts in order to prevent the extras. The extras have been a feature of contracts. Lest I be attacked by members of CIF, in fairness it is not that there are not arguments for additional charges for such matters as road design or changes that are justified, but it should not mean endless disputes and discussions. Fixed price contracts tie it down far better and that means tying down the specifications at an early stage.
On the question of the critical infrastructural Bill, the Government is considering it and believes it is necessary. We have looked at what happens in a number of other countries where there are large contracts. My view on this, and we have yet to finalise it in Government, is that one cannot do it for many projects. If legislation such as this were put on the Statute Book, future Members could be lobbied left, right and centre that everything was covered in the critical infras tructural Bill. If the Bill is drawn narrowly, that is the correct approach.
Recently I had a meeting with the president of Shell who is concerned because it has literally put hundreds of millions of euro into that project. He asked if it was possible to have this legislation in place before he meets his deadline. I told him that was not possible or realistic. It is crucial for his company to start work for next summer's season. I said that, with the best will in the world, it is not possible in the timescale required to pass a major Bill that has not yet been drafted in the Department and has to come to Cabinet and to the Oireachtas. I gave him my best advice which was that he would have go through the existing process. Mayo County Council has been supportive and from my reading of the judgment, which I read before I met the president of Shell, An Bord Pleanála also seemed to be supportive. While he is the person who has to sign the allocation of a few billion euro to this project, he is loath to do so unless he believes there is a reasonable prospect of success. I could not give him a guarantee that he would get through the planning process. I did say that the country viewed this as a good project but he has to comply with the planning regulations. He did not inform me of the final decision but said there was a world board meeting in October where that decision would be made.
Is he going to contribute to the—
The Taoiseach will acknowledge that the partnership process is going through a difficult time, given that in several areas there have been shortcomings and poor vision in the areas of housing, public transport, infrastructure, people with disabilities, health services and so on. Will he acknowledge there is a blind spot when it comes to measures to ensure—
A question, please.
—compliance with, for example, the Kyoto protocol, that we are at the bottom of the league in Europe and that the partnership process does not take that into account because it does not have any environmental spokespersons in its membership? That is a real need which the Taoiseach must address.
Will he agree that in evaluating the reforms in Sustaining Progress, the performance verification group was slow in getting started? Will it have time to complete its first round of work before December, given the volume and complexity of that work? Will he agree that a huge problem is bubbling regarding the restructuring of CIE, the breakup of Aer Rianta and the proposals for a new private terminal for Dublin Airport, all of which are running into opposition from the unions and have not been the subject of proper negotiations? Will he agree those are the issues that need to be tackled if he is serious about Sus taining Progress and maintaining a social partnership?
On the housing issue – I hope the Taoiseach will agree the community platform is still part of the partnership process – the Irish council for social housing is calling for the release of State lands for social housing in addition to land promised by the Government in July for affordable housing. Will the Government make a move on that to ensure it has some credibility left, given that of the 10,000 affordable houses promised the local authorities say that, at best—
The Deputy has gone on and on.
—only 400 affordable houses will be built in Dublin over the next two years? Will the Taoiseach make a clear statement to ensure the Government's credibility is not completely shredded in this process?
The Deputy has gone on to the next set of questions. On the environmental aspects, there are numerous new directives and legislation in that area. There are those in the partnership process who take this matter seriously and perhaps there are other groups who feel they should be included and there is a process for doing that. There are many within the present make-up in all the pillars who have a knowledge and interest in the environment. I am not opposed to anything the Deputy has said about that and the putting forward of their views. In fairness, the Deputy must acknowledge the legislative base and initiatives being brought forward. The major challenge of Kyoto must also be acknowledged. These are issues we must continue to work on but a huge amount has been done.
On the basis of proportionality the Fine Gael Member is entitled to be called. I will call Deputy McManus next.
The Taoiseach is aware of Labre Park, a Traveller settlement, which used to be in his constituency but is now in mine. In Labre Park only one parent ever has completed the FETAC equivalent of the junior certificate, and that was recently. There are 16 women there attending a community employment scheme which has been discontinued. There are 238 people—
Has the Deputy a question?
I have. There are 238 old people in Bluebell-Inchicore who are losing their home help for the want of a small amount of money. Will the Taoiseach tell us why those people are being left out of the partnership process?
We are actually on the next group of questions. Deputies appear to think I took Questions Nos. 1 to 21 together but only Questions Nos. 1 to 4 are being taken together. Perhaps I should reply to Deputy Mitchell and then take the next group. All of the questions appear to be about the next group.
I will allow Deputies McManus and Ó Caoláin ask a question and then we will take a final reply on Questions Nos. 1 to 4.
I have two brief questions. In regard to the Glen of the Downs project cited by the Taoiseach, is he aware that it has been the subject of long delays, the cost overrun is double the original contract price and the short piece of road covered by the project was subject to 16,000 items of correspondence between the local authority and the contractor—
Has the Deputy a question?
Does the Taoiseach intend to examine this project which has been wasteful and shows a disturbing lack of proper management?
In regard to what the Taoiseach said about hospital waiting lists and in view of the fact that there is no significant improvement in them and that the Government is way off course in regard to its health strategy – only half of the new beds have been provided and hundreds of beds are closed – is he going to consider providing funding for the hospitals before the winter, a crucial time when hospitals are under pressure, to alleviate the great suffering that may be caused as a result of Government cutbacks and to ensure that beds are available to those people who desperately need them during the winter months?
The questions might be more appropriate to the Ministers directly responsible as they are detailed.
I wish to ask the Taoiseach a question in regard to the progress report. The Government claimed in the so-called progress report that the people had returned it not for what it had done but for what it had yet to do. I agree. However, I make no apology for highlighting the continuing serious deficiencies in the health service.
The Deputy should ask his question.
The Taoiseach referred to this issue earlier. Does he agree that neither the health service reform programme nor the national health strategy recognised the need to end the two-tier system, which I describe as health apartheid, creating untold harm and hurt for people? Will the Taoiseach confirm that the real test will come with the publication of the Hanly report? At that time the Taoiseach and his Government colleagues will have to make a con scious decision as to whether they should take on the inordinate influence of many of the consultants in our health service.
The Deputy's question does not relate to Questions Nos. 1 to 4.
It absolutely relates to the progress report. Will the Taoiseach confirm that the Government is prepared to face that challenge? Heretofore I have seen no evidence of that.
The Taoiseach mentioned the new European constitution. Is the position now that the Government will renegotiate the section dealing with the Commission? As the Taoiseach knows there are many—
It is not necessary to make a statement on the subject, the question has been asked.
Is it the Taoiseach's aim that there will be one commissioner per state?
I appreciate the Ceann Comhairle's ruling that some of these questions should be addressed to line Ministers.
The Deputy is right in regard to the Glen of the Downs where there has been an enormous overrun. Her recommendation of an investigation is what the Government intends to do. We will have an independent examination of the project.
In regard to health, I already stated that the additional bed allocations are being made in the ERH area to try to alleviate the problems, particularly in the main acute hospitals.
Deputy Ó Caoláin is correct in regard to reform of the contract. Many reforms are required but the common contract must be changed. That will involve difficult negotiations but the Government is committed to it. It will be difficult.
Is the Government up for it?
It is. I remember that in 1974 and 1979 when it was last challenged I was in a different position. I was on the other side of the fence then.
Perhaps there would be no fence if the Government got on with it.
Allow the Taoiseach to reply.
The discussions have started. On the issue of the EU constitution, I answered a question asked about this by Deputy Rabbitte yesterday. President Prodi has put the issue back on the agenda and it will be discussed on Saturday. The issue is how it will work out. If it is one commissioner per member state, with full voting rights and a meaningful job then I am in favour of it. I see difficulties concerning many of the other scenarios. There is not agreement on the issue. It will not be what is in the draft constitution as it is. We will see how the meetings go next week.
Will the Taoiseach reply to my question in the next group?
He will.