I propose to take Questions Nos. 15, 20, 24, 33, 34, 42 and 45 together.
As the Deputies will be aware, as part of the restructuring of Departments and agencies announced by the Taoiseach in Dáil Éireann on 23 March last to ensure greater coherence and produce more efficient delivery, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will become the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs and will incorporate responsibility for social inclusion policy and family policy from the Department of Social and Family Affairs and for equality, disability, integration and human rights from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.
The changes in Departmental functions announced by the Taoiseach will have an effect on the Estimates of the Departments involved, including my Department. These changes will involve transferring the relevant programme expenditure from one Department to another. All such transfers of funds will be carried out strictly on an Exchequer-neutral basis. Some staff, and related administrative costs, may also be transferred between Departments, again on an Exchequer-neutral basis.
On the question of legislation, transfers of Departmental functions are carried out by Government Order under powers contained in section 6(1) of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 1939, while in some cases primary legislation may be needed. This aspect of the changes announced by the Taoiseach is still being examined in my Department and in the Departments of Finance, Justice, Equality and Law Reform, and Social and Family Affairs.
In relation to the Deputies' queries regarding the Minister of State appointed to my Department, Ms Mary White, TD, has been appointed Minister of State at the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, and the Department of Education and Science, with special responsibility for Equality and Human Rights, and Integration. Once the transfer of functions process is concluded, it is my intention to delegate the functions in respect of Equality, Human Rights and Integration to Minister of State White and to delegate functions transferred to my Department in relation to Disability to Mr John Moloney, TD, who will, of course, continue as Minister of State with special responsibility for Disability Issues and Mental Health at the Department of Health and Children, as well as the renamed Departments of Education and Skills, and Enterprise, Trade and Innovation.
The Deputies will appreciate that for the moment it is not possible to provide details in relation to changes in policy areas of my Department, the assignment/functions of agencies, any costs involved, funding implications for the various agencies transferring and other associated matters. I can assure the Deputies that I have directed the officials in my Department to ensure that any costs arising in this context are kept at a minimum. They will, of course, be met from within existing resources.