Tom Parlon (Laois-Offaly, Progressive Democrats)

The executive has its own Vote for which its chief executive officer is the Accounting Officer. In that context, it must make its own decisions on the use of resources and the setting of priorities for service development in Mayo or anywhere else in the country.

The Tánaiste has put particular emphasis and importance on the executive providing timely replies and information to Oireachtas Members. This is an initiative on which her Department has been working with the executive and which led to the establishment of the executive's parliamentary affairs division. A primary task of this new division is to ensure questions referred to the executive are responded to as soon as possible and that the issue of replies is monitored and followed up where necessary. The Department continues to work with the executive to develop its parliamentary affairs capability.

I emphasise that while these arrangements facilitate referral of questions to the executive, they do not give a role to the Tánaiste in the decisions which inform the replies provided directly to Deputies, as these are a matter for the executive in accordance with its responsibilities under the Act.

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