Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The framework document involves the tracking of a number of policy issues and developing negotiating positions. It is important when the new British Prime Minister is elected that he or she set out what he or she wants to do and the intentions of the British strategy. There is speculation about what it might entail. I need to take our unit which was located in the Department of the Taoiseach and make it interdepartmental. That means we have to be able to call on Ministers when needed to reflect on the monitoring of progress by the unit in the Taoiseach's Department. I do not want to have a very large number of people who will have to meet regularly. It might be more important to have issues addressed as they develop. We will also have to have more people in Brussels where we have a very good section. When the process starts, we will need to be right on top of it because our interests are critical. We will strengthen the existing facilities, including the Cabinet sub-committee on European Union affairs, the joint UK Permanent Secretaries-Ireland Secretaries General group, the North-South Ministerial Council, the British-Irish Council, the European Union senior officials group and the interdepartmental group. Business, trade and commerce links are very important.