Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 22 Oct 1996

Vol. 470 No. 4

Written Answers. - Forfás Report.

Desmond J. O'Malley

Ceist:

39 Mr. O'Malley asked the Minister for Enterprise and Employment the status of the Forfás report entitled, Shaping Our Future, which was published earlier in 1996; and whether it represents official Government policy on industrial development. [19213/96]

Minister for Enterprise and Employment (Mr. R. Bruton)

As indicated in my reply to a similar question from Deputy Harney on 26 June last, the Forfás report, Shaping our Future, presents a wide-ranging examination of long-term strategy. As a framework document, it sets out what we as a society can achieve in terms of economic and social development over the next 15 years if we adopt the right policies.

It was prepared by Forfás in the context of its statutory function to advise the Minister for Enterprise and Employment on matters relating to the development of industry in the State. While Forfás engaged in widespread consultation in preparing the report, including consulting with my own Department, it published the report under its own name and without any official imprimatur from either myself or the Government. The status of the report is, therefore, that of an advisory one which is a valuable contribution to policy development in a wide range of areas which span several Departments.

As also indicated in the earlier reply, in adopting any new policies or altering existing ones, it would be my intention to use the Forfás report as a key input. That is what I am currently doing in the preparation of a statement of enterprise strategy, which I hope to bring to Government shortly. That strategy statement will then represent official Government policy on industrial development.