Wednesday, 16 Jun 2021

Written Answers Nos. 1-31

Cabinet Committees

Ceisteanna (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)

Cathal Crowe

Ceist:

13. Deputy Cathal Crowe asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment last met; and when the next meeting is planned. [29523/21]

Pádraig O'Sullivan

Ceist:

14. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment will next meet. [29604/21]

Alan Kelly

Ceist:

15. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment will next meet. [30928/21]

Rose Conway-Walsh

Ceist:

16. Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment last met; and when it will next meet. [31792/21]

Bríd Smith

Ceist:

17. Deputy Bríd Smith asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment last met. [31404/21]

Paul Murphy

Ceist:

18. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Taoiseach when the Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment last met. [31406/21]

Freagraí scríofa

The Taoiseach

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 together.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment has been established and first met on 8 July 2020. It has met on a total of thirteen times, most recently on 27 May. The next meeting is not yet scheduled.

Membership of the Committee is comprised of the Taoiseach; Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Employment and Trade; Minister for Climate Action, Communications Networks and Transport; Minister for Finance; Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform; and Minister for Media, Tourism, Arts, Culture, Sport and the Gaeltacht. Other Ministers or Ministers of State attend when required.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Recovery and Investment is responsible for issues relating to the economy and investment, and had an initial focus last year on developing the July Jobs Stimulus. It has also overseen the development of the Government’s Economic Recovery plan, as well as the ongoing review of the National Development Plan.

National Security Committee

Ceisteanna (19, 20)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

19. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Taoiseach the membership and terms of reference of the National Security Committee chaired by the Secretary General of his Department. [29521/21]

Alan Kelly

Ceist:

20. Deputy Alan Kelly asked the Taoiseach if he will provide a list of the membership of the National Security Committee; and when it last met. [29776/21]

Freagraí scríofa

The Taoiseach

I propose to take Questions Nos. 19 and 20 together.

The National Security Committee is chaired by the Secretary General to the Government and comprises representatives at the highest level of the Departments of Justice, Defence, Foreign Affairs, Environment, Communications and Climate and of the Garda Síochána and the Defence Forces.

The secretariat to the Committee is provided by the National Security Analysis Centre in my Department.

The Committee is concerned with ensuring that the Government and I are advised of high-level security issues and the responses to them, but not with operational security matters.

Having regard to the confidential nature of the work of the Committee, it is the long-standing practice not to disclose information about individual meetings or their proceedings. I can tell Deputies, however, that the Committee has met in respect of aspects of the State’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The Committee meets as required and it will continue to do so.

In addition to the meetings, the members of the Committee liaise on an ongoing basis to monitor developments that might have national security implications, in particular in the international arena.

Questions Nos. 21 to 31, inclusive, resubmitted.