Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin
Question:1 Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Taoiseach the responsibilities of the Ministers of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28323/06]
View answerWednesday, 15 November 2006
Questions (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
Pat Rabbitte
Question:2 Mr. Rabbitte asked the Taoiseach the responsibilities of Ministers of State within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31613/06]
View answer
Trevor Sargent
Question:3 Mr. Sargent asked the Taoiseach the responsibilities of Ministers of State at his Department; if he has examined reallocating these responsibilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34122/06]
View answer
Enda Kenny
Question:4 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach the roles and responsibilities of the Ministers of State in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35496/06]
View answer
Joe Higgins
Question:5 Mr. J. Higgins asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the responsibilities of Ministers of State within his Department. [35926/06]
View answerOral answers (45 contributions)
I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5 together.
The Government appointed Deputy Kitt as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at my Department and the Department of Defence. Deputy Treacy is also a Minister of State at my Department and at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European affairs.
As Chief Whip, Deputy Kitt is primarily responsible for the organisation of Government business in the Dáil and for representing the Government's interest in all matters, procedural or otherwise, relating to the conduct of its business by the Dáil. He chairs the Government legislation committee and oversees preparation of the Government's legislative programme. He also has responsibility for the Central Statistics Office and for co-ordination of the Government's strategy for the continued development of the knowledge society in Ireland.
In a co-ordinating role in the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Treacy chairs an interdepartmental co-ordinating committee on European Union affairs. The committee keeps under review, and works to ensure coherence on, the full range of issues on the EU's agenda. The Committee has a particular focus on the correct and timely transposition of EU legislation. Deputy Treacy also has responsibility for the Government's communicating Europe initiative, which aims to foster a broad public understanding of, and identification with, the issues on the EU agenda.
Deputy Treacy plays a central role in consolidating and further developing Ireland's positive bilateral EU relations, particularly with the new member states. In addition to these duties, Deputy Treacy has a heavy workload within the Department of Foreign Affairs, representing the Government at meetings in a wide range of contexts related to European affairs and representing Ireland at EU meetings at Minister of State level on European Union affairs. I have no plans to reallocate the responsibilities of Deputies Kitt or Treacy.
Is the Taoiseach aware that the official description of Deputy Kitt's job includes the preparation of a weekly brief for the Taoiseach on legislation in preparation? Does the Taoiseach discuss with the Chief Whip the arrangement of Dáil business and which legislation and other matters should be prioritised from week to week? We will shortly move to the Order of Business, which is a daily feature of Dáil business. Are the matters raised on the Order of Business about promised legislation taken into account in these meetings between the Taoiseach and Deputy Kitt? I have noticed Deputy Kitt noting points made by Deputies. Is that part of his responsibility? Does he discuss the points made by Opposition voices in this Chamber arguing for specific legislation to be speeded up? This is done time and again. Is it part of Deputy Kitt's responsibility to take note and heed the valid arguments for specific legislation to be addressed faster? If it is not his responsibility, whose is it?
Deputy Kitt's job description includes responsibility for the operation of the pairing system. Many people outside the Dáil will have little or no knowledge about this. For their benefit can the Taoiseach explain how it works? Does the Minister of State brief the Taoiseach on the operation of the pairing system? If so, is this done on an occasional or regular basis? These are important points and I hope the Taoiseach will give them the time they deserve.
As chairman of the legislative committee, to the best of his ability the Minister of State keeps a close handle on legislation in the Parliamentary Counsel's office going through the various processes between Departments and deals with points raised in the House to the best of his ability. We do not discuss this on a weekly basis. At the start of each session we decide what the legislation will be on the A list, as well as other lists, during that session. We keep account of progress in Cabinet meetings as time goes on, not every week, but perhaps once a month, on average.
Pairing arrangements are the norm in all the Parliaments I have ever had dealings with. The practice is that where members of the Executive are absent on official business, they are paired. Where someone is ill or hospitalised etc., the Chief Whip and the Whips of the parliament concerned will try to deal with the situation to the best of their ability, and the Dáil is no exception.
Does the Taoiseach believe his two Ministers of State are overworked?
There are times, at the weekends, I would like to give them more work to give myself a break. However, they work hard.
I notice the Taoiseach said in a reply in October 2004 that the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, will play the key role in co-ordinating and advancing preparations for the ratification of the treaty on the European constitution. Is he still working hard on that and at what stage is his preparatory work? Can we anticipate that this issue will be reopened between now and the general election?
Is it the intention of the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt, to publish a programme of Dáil reform between now and the end of the current Dáil? Does the Taoiseach accept that, notwithstanding very modest changes over the last decade, many of our citizens have a growing conviction that our business in the House is not always relevant here and that there is a necessity for us to reorder the procedures of the House to be seen to address current issues which are relevant to the people. People who watch proceedings of this House believe we are hogtied by anachronistic procedures that permit of current important matters of public affairs being debated everywhere but inside the House.
On the constitution question, obviously matters have not proceeded at the speed we would all have wished so the workload at that end has not materialised as it should have. The Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, usefully co-ordinates closely with the ten new member states. They are at an early stage of membership and there is a great deal of engagement with them at different levels. He handles that area very successfully and it is an important issue.
On the constitution, there will be an effort by the German Presidency to make progress on this, particularly in the run-up to preparations for the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome in March. The Germans recently asked all member states to assign two senior officials to engage with them on that over the next four or five months, when they will try to make progress on the constitution and on a declaration on the Treaty of Rome. They will endeavour to progress matters in light of that. Frankly, I do not see them being able to make much progress. I have no doubt that Chancellor Angela Merkel will try extremely hard, but I do not see matters progressing until after the French election. However, I believe it will surface once again during the French Presidency in 2008.
While a good deal of work will be done by the German Presidency, I believe it will be 2008 before it again arises. It is becoming quite an issue in the French election and certainly all sides are indicating what they believe should be done. That is an issue we have to watch because I do not like the tendency to cherry-pick which has been operating again and which is not in the interest of small countries, particularly Ireland.
Having been involved in the business of the House at different levels, including Whip, over many years, I believe there have been great advances. There was a time when, as leader of the Opposition, the only topic one could raise on the Order of Business was legislation. As Opposition leader, I had about a minute before the Ceann Comhairle of the day, Seán Treacy, would cut me off, and one was not really able to raise anything. Now, however, I know of no other Parliament but this one where one may have an order unannounced on any issue twice a week, on whatever might have come up in the previous half hour or appeared in a newspaper, or whatever was deemed to be important.
We could make other advances too. We have made useful technological advances, putting the legislation and consultation on the Internet, which is good. The heads of Bills are increasingly being put out for open consultation, which is a very good advancement. There were other suggestions which would have involved Ministers coming into the House for similar types of questioning on issues, but consensus has not been reached on this and one cannot make these types of changes without the agreement of the House. It is a pity because we could make the House far more relevant. I do not see that happening as there does not appear to be any appetite for that among the Opposition Whips. Adjournment debates in the morning where Ministers would be obliged to come in at the start of the Dáil day as well as other suggestions would be very good, and perhaps they will be implemented at another time, but I do not foresee them being implemented in the immediate future.
Is it not the Government that is objecting to making the rules of the House more modern, adaptable and flexible? Has each of the Opposition parties, the Labour Party, Fine Gael, the Green Party and Sinn Féin, not published extensive proposals for reform of the Dáil?
Hear, hear.
The Government seeks to protect itself in not responding to them and as a result we cannot make progress.
Deputy Rabbitte will not be surprised to learn that is not the way any member of the Government sees it. Yes, the Opposition has put forward all types of bright and wonderful suggestions, as has the Government, but there has to be compromise on issues. I do not know why we cannot get agreement on some of the simple matters. However, there has to be give and take. It is not just a question of the Opposition tabling suggestions and everyone agreeing. That is not how parliaments operate. However, there are initiatives that can be taken. Perhaps they will be taken in a future Dáil. I do not see any appetite among the Opposition parties to agree to the Government's suggestions in this Dáil.
That is somewhat rich. The Taoiseach is the man in the driving seat and he knows there is great appetite for change.
Has the Deputy a question?
I certainly have a question. As regards allocation of responsibilities among the Ministers of State, which I have asked about, has the Taoiseach considered responsibility for older persons' affairs? That area is growing significantly in terms of public impact as regards pensions and so forth. I wonder whether this is an area the Taoiseach has given some thought to. Following my question to the Taoiseach, it seems very important that there should be a dedicated area of responsibility within his Department, with a Minister of State dealing with climate change, given that this must cover so many other Departments. It is not something that can be dealt with in the Customs House. It is time to look at that seriously, if the Taoiseach takes the matter seriously, which I hope he does.
Was the Taoiseach aware of the comments by the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, that he knew who was releasing information from the Mahon tribunal? Did the Taoiseach discuss that with the Minister of State before or after he made those comments?
That does not arise from this question.
It is an allocation of responsibility. Deputy Treacy seems to be an Inspector Clouseau in the Taoiseach's Department. I do not know if it is an official responsibility or if he has allocated it to himself.
That is outside the realm of the question.
The Minister of State has dealt with that elsewhere.
Has the Taoiseach dealt with it?
I did not discuss it with him.
The Minister of State at the Department of Health and Children, Deputy Seán Power, deals with old people. It is his brief but perhaps there is an argument to extend his role to other Departments.
Climate change will become a bigger issue. It has taken up more Government time and committee time over the past number of years. Perhaps there could be someone with responsibility across Departments or a cross-departmental group. There is interaction under the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government. Perhaps it can be brought together in a coherent way under the Public Service Management Act. We have made strides in terms of integration. It is a matter I would examine.
The legislative programme is the responsibility of the Government Whip. In 2004 we were promised the animal health Bill, the Údarás na Gaeltachta Bill, the national monuments Bill, the ombudsman amendment Bill and the financial services modernisation and consolidation Bill, but none has appeared. Why is the backlog of legislation so great that these Bills, promised over two years ago on the direction of the Chief Whip, have not been brought before the House?
The Health Act was passed.
From a parliamentary question tabled by Deputy Paul McGrath on 13 June, I note eight Ministers of State have no formal delegated duties assigned to them.
This question deals with the Ministers of State within the Department of the Taoiseach.
Is Deputy Treacy a Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach?
Yes, he is.
In the reply to the parliamentary question he is listed as a Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs.
He is both.
No delegation was made in respect of him, nor for Deputy Conor Lenihan but perhaps he fell asleep when he was asked about it.
I suggest that Deputy Kenny submit questions to the appropriate Minister.
I now know why the decentralisation programme has collapsed. The Minister of State with responsibility for it, Deputy Parlon, has no formal delegation either.
Deputy Kenny is going well outside the remit of his question.
There are eight Ministers of State with no formal delegation status, including the Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Treacy.
As a politician I have no objection to being attacked politically, as happens to us all. For the first time in my memory, the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, attacked yours truly at a formal function in Brussels on the occasion of the Irish language being announced as a working language of the Community. The Taoiseach and Fine Gael rightly supported the announcement. The attack was personal and vindictive, in front of international personnel. In my time a Minister of State never attacked a Member of the House while abroad. I am sure the Minister of State did not let fly with the Taoiseach's imprimatur because the Taoiseach never did that. Perhaps the Minister of State got mixed up or perhaps he wrote the script. Why is the Ceann Comhairle shaking his head?
I am afraid that if Deputy Kenny continues he might go beyond the realm of the question.
Is that the responsibility of the Minister of State? Is he sent out to attack helpless Deputies at home who are unable to defend themselves in the same forum? This is not the hallmark of the Taoiseach. Perhaps Deputy Treacy thought he was appearing before the Mahon tribunal and that it was leaking like a sieve. We did hear about it here. It is not standard practice for the Government and I would like the Taoiseach to rap him across the knuckles for that. He has a delegated responsibility in the Taoiseach's Department but maybe he was operating under the remit of the Department of Foreign Affairs, where he has no formal delegation status as of 13 June.
What about Avril Doyle MEP, undermining the Taoiseach?
They are getting very sensitive.
Perhaps Deputy Parlon has no delegated status because he was seen selling animal feed in the Irish Farmers’ Journal.
It was only a photograph.
Ministers of State are appointed by the Government to assist Ministers in running Departments. In many instances this relates to policy issues. Formal delegations or statutory powers are not necessary. Only a small number of Departments have functional blocks where the full function must be designated. A Minister of State may be required to exercise a power set in statute. That is the case in my Department in respect of the functions of the Statistics Act 1993, which are exercised by the Minister of State, Deputy Kitt. The Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, carries out a wide range of policy and administrative functions in my Department and the Department of Foreign Affairs but no formal or statutory power is required.
I was not aware of the Irish language meeting. It did not receive much publicity.
Did he do it as Gaeilge?
He did not get a brief from me to do it. Some people get partisan now and then. It is my practice not to get too excited by these matters. Deputy Kenny should not get too upset. I will tell the Minister of State not to do it.
Do not worry about it.
It is like getting attacked by a dead sheep.
Ravaged by a dead sheep.