Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 6 July 2004
150 Mr. Kenny asked the Taoiseach if he will give details of all State or semi-State agencies and boards under the aegis of his Department as of 1 January 1994; the number of State or semi-State agencies and boards under the aegis of his Department as of 1 January 2004; the date of the establishment of such agencies and boards in each case; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19991/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraArea Development Management Ltd., or ADM, was established as a not for profit company under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach in 1992 by the Government in agreement with the European Commission to promote social inclusion, reconciliation and equality and to counter disadvantage through local social and economic development. Following the change of Government in 1997, responsibility for ADM moved from the Department of the Taoiseach to the Department of Tourism, Sport and Recreation. Responsibility currently resides with the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.
The second Information Society Commission was appointed on 30 November 2001 and is due to end on 31 December 2004. The commission is established as an independent advisory body to Government. It has a key role in shaping the evolving public policy framework for the development of the information society in Ireland. It reports directly to the Department of the Taoiseach and draws on high-level representation from the business community, the social partners and the public service. The commission's terms of reference are to contribute to the formulation of Government policy by highlighting the challenges and opportunities presented by information society developments; monitoring Ireland's performance in its evolution as an information society, both nationally and internationally; identifying areas of co-operation with other jurisdictions, including establishment of links with the Northern Ireland Information Age Initiative; and establishing working groups, as required, to provide expert advice on specific areas of public policy development.
The Law Reform Commission was established in 1975 under the Law Reform Commission Act 1975 as a statutory body corporate to keep the law of the State under review. The National Economic and Social Development Office, or NESDO, comprises the National Economic and Social Council, or NESC, the National Economic and Social Forum, or NESF, and the National Centre for Partnership and Performance, or NCPP. Legislation underpinning the establishment of NESDO has completed Second Stage in the Dáil and when enacted will place the three bodies on a statutory basis as part of the office. The National Economic and Social Council is a body under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach and was established on 2 November, 1973. Its main tasks are to advise the Government on the development of the national economy and the achievement of social justice. The National Economic and Social Forum is a body under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach and was set up by the Government in 1993. There are 62 members of the National Economic and Social Forum. Nominating bodies appoint 50, five members are ex-officio and five independent members are appointed by the Government. The Government also appoints the chairman and deputy chairman.
The role of the NESF is to monitor and analyse the implementation of specific measures and programmes identified in the context of social partnership arrangements, especially those concerned with the achievement of equality and social inclusion. The forum also facilitates public consultation on policy matters referred to it by Government from time to time. The forum was reconstituted for a further period of three years, up to May 2006.
The National Centre for Partnership and Performance, or NCPP, was established on a non-statutory basis on 26 July 2000, as one of the key recommendations of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness in order to provide a strategic focus to the deepening of partnership and the improvement of performance in the workplace, in both the private and public sectors.
The Central Statistics Office, or CSO, was set up as a specialist national statistical agency in 1949 and was established on a statutory basis, as an independent body under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach by the Statistics Act 1993. The office collects, compiles and analyses economic and social statistical information. The National Statistics Board, or NSB, is a body under the aegis of the Department of the Taoiseach and was set up on a non-statutory basis in 1986 and on a statutory basis in 1994 following the implementation of the Statistics Act 1993.
