John Bruton
Ceist:52 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work programme of NESC; and if he will make a statement on its current institutional and administrative arrangements. [17453/99]
Written Answers. - Social Partnership.
John Bruton
Ceist:53 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach further to Parliamentary Question No. 1 of 17 December 1997, the progress being made by his Department in implementing Partnership 2000 and the further development of the social partnership process. [17454/99]
John Bruton
Ceist:54 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach when the next meeting of the central review committee is scheduled to take place; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17458/99]
John Bruton
Ceist:55 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the Government's views on the negotiation of a new national agreement to replace Partnership 2000; the discussions, if any, which have taken place with the social partners in this regard; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17459/99]
John Bruton
Ceist:56 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with IBEC; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17410/99]
John Bruton
Ceist:57 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on his recent meeting with ICTU; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17411/99]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:58 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the outcome of his meetings with the social partners on 13 September; when he expects the negotiations for a new national agreement will open; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17738/99]
Ruairí Quinn
Ceist:59 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the outcome of the Partnership 2000 plenary meeting on 27 July last. [17739/99]
John Bruton
Ceist:60 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will provide details of his recent correspondence or meetings with the Competitiveness Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17756/99]
John Bruton
Ceist:61 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach when the NESC strategy report will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17769/99]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 52 to 61 inclusive together.
Social partnership has played a hugely signifi cant role on the transformation of Ireland over the past decade – in both economic and social inclusion terms. The Government is deeply committed to the process, as exemplified by the latest Progress Report on Partnership 2000 which has been placed in the Oireachtas Library.
The development of the partnership model has been a priority and this is, perhaps, most clearly illustrated by the wide-ranging and systematic monitoring mechanisms in place and the establishment of the National Centre for Partnership. The further development of the model in the years ahead remains a priority, particularly in terms of deepening partnership at the enterprise level but, for that to happen, there must be confidence on the part of till participants that the terms agreed will in fact apply.
Against that general background, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Finance and I met with representatives of IBEC and ICTU separately on 13 September. We conveyed the Government's concern at the apparent willingness of some groups to substitute strikes and industrial conflict for the partnership approach and a corresponding concern that the terms of Partnership 2000 should be honoured fully by all sides. We emphasised that the Government has honoured the terms of the present and previous partnership agreements, especially in the area of public service pay.
It is clear that IBEC and ICTU share the Government's view that social partnership has delivered substantially in terms of employment creation, higher living standards across the board, better public services, and improved public finances.
In our meeting with ICTU specifically, it was agreed that social partnership is only possible in a climate of trust, based on the honouring of commitments. It was further agreed that, in the present context, developments in any part of the public service cannot be viewed in isolation, but will have direct implications for pay and conditions generally through established relativities. This reinforces the importance of developing a new framework for the management of public service pay in its entirety.
It was also agreed with ICTU that social partnership could evolve to support a continuing improvement in living standards – keeping the benefits of a high value-added, high income and socially inclusive economy. It was further agreed that discussions on the shape of a renewed model of social partnership, to succeed Partnership 2000, would continue. These would include the shaping of a consensus through the forthcoming NESC Strategy Report, the radical investment programme set out in the National Development Plan, and the continuing talks on a new framework for managing public service pay.
Regarding the July plenary meeting of Partnership 2000, the main item on the agenda was an overview assessment of progress on social inclusion. The principal areas covered were unemployment, educational disadvantage, income adequacy, urban disadvantage, rural pov erty and equality issues. Further meetings under the present partnership agreement are planned – the social partners are meeting in secretariat format today and in plenary mode on 18 November to review overall implementation.
In response to Deputy Bruton's question on the National Competitiveness Council, I met with the chairman and a number of members of the council on 13 July. The members briefed me on papers they had prepared on the issues of social cohesion, telecommunications and e-commerce and skills. This was one of a series of meetings between the council and relevant Ministers.
Subsequently, on 13 September, the Competitiveness Council published a Statement on Social Partnership which concludes that ‘social partnership has been central to the significant social and economic progress made in Ireland over the past ten years'. The council believes it is essential that formal partnership agreements be maintained and has identified a number of issues pivotal to Ireland's international competitiveness which need to be addressed in a new agreement. I share the council's views in this regard.
As regards the work programme of the NESC, I understand that this will be settled by the council on the completion of its strategy report at the end of October. The council and the NESC are now sharing premises and support services. I expect that the legislation to place both bodies and their shared support structure on a statutory basis will be published before the end of this session.