Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 6 Nov 1997

Vol. 482 No. 5

Written Answers - Economic Competitiveness.

Ruairí Quinn

Ceist:

53 Mr. Quinn asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment whether her Department is the Department which has the primary responsibility for monitoring and maintaining the competitive position of the Irish economy; if so, the regular steps, if any, which are taken by her Department in conjunction with other Departments to effect that process of monitoring; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [15716/97]

Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment (Miss Harney)

The competitive position of the Irish economy is determined by a wide range of factors running across the entire spectrum of public policy and comprehends issues such as fiscal policy, competition policy, infrastructure and human resources, as well as the performance of the enterprise sector itself. In this context, responsibility for monitoring and maintaining the competitive position of the economy cannot be confined to any one Department of State.

The recently established National Competitiveness Council, operating under the aegis of the Taoiseach's Department, will play a key role in monitoring and benchmarking Ireland's competitiveness across this broad range of fronts. The Secretary General of my Department is a member of the council.

The health and dynamism of the enterprise sector clearly has a critical influence on the overall competitiveness of the economy. The performance of the enterprise sector is influenced, not only by the actions of individual firms and entrepreneurs, but by public policy decisions in the various spheres previously adverted to. My Department and its State agencies have an important role to play in ensuring the creation and maintenance of a pro-enterprise environment. Recent work undertaken by Forfás, in the context of its long-term strategy document Shaping our Future is particularly relevant in this respect.