asked the Minister for Finance if, in view of the growing level of unemployment and his responsibility for economic planning and development, he has any proposals for a national development plan to maximise employment in the productive and service sectors of the economy; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna — Questions Oral Answers - National Development Plan.
15.
I would refer the Deputy to the reply given by the Taoiseach to Parliamentary Question No. 7 on 19 October 1983, concerning the work of the National Planning Board. As stated by the Taoiseach, the board are working on a draft medium-term plan for the economy which will provide the framework within which short-term economic and social planning will proceed. It is intended that the draft plan will be ready by April next.
Would the Minister acknowledge that within the responsibility of Government it is and always has been a very important management function of his Department to promote policies for employment and development? I am asking the Minister if that element of the Department of Finance, namely the economic planning development element, still exists and proposing policies as distinct from boards and committees which are basically to promote activity and employment in the economy.
The Deputy can be assured that the planning and development functions of my Department are still fully in place and being actively exercised. The National Planning Board are an advisory body; it is up to the Government to make decisions. I should also like to remind the Deputy, as he is making points now that he made on previous occasions, that in his own hastily abandoned plan, The Way Forward, his party indicated their intention, on page 111 “to establish shortly, in consultation with the principal interests involved, a permanent structure for economic and social planning.” On page 112 of the same publication it was indicated that “in the new, permanent economic and social planning structure, the expertise and experience of outside bodies such as NESC and research institutes would be drawn upon in designing and developing new social policies more responsive to our special circumstances.”
Just as questions should not be argumentative, neither should answers.
Can the Minister not see the distinction between the permanent structure referred to there, a structure of Government which of course draws on the advice of parties available to it, and an advisory board which seems to overtake and set aside the role of Government? When are we going to see from the Minister, on the advice of his Department, any element of management policy for the development of the primary resources of this country at such a critical time?
The Chair is against arguments at Question Time.
There was an economic debate two weeks ago. The Government told us all about them then and the only suggestion from Deputy O'Kennedy's side was to take 5p off the pint.
(Interruptions.)
Order, please.
I have pointed out to the Deputy that the Government will have a draft medium term economic plan in mid-April next. In the meantime the Deputy will find that there will be no lack of indications as to where the Government's economic policy priorities lie.
Is the Minister now acknowledging that a year-and-a-half after the Government have come to office, with the decline in morale and growing unemployment, they now expect to have a medium term economic plan which perhaps will be put into effect a year-and-a-half from now?
The Deputy is trying to milk this for much more than is in it. During the course of the debate on the economy recently I set out very clearly in this House what our priorities are now and for the foreseeable future in economic and social policy terms. The Deputy on that occasion chose to dismiss those policies, which were notably lacking from his own document, as analysis. If that is the view the Deputy is taking of the economic planning process, his very reason for asking the question disappears.