Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 4, inclusive, together.

The Government appointed Deputy Tom Kitt as Government Chief Whip and Minister of State at my Department and at the Department of Defence and Deputy Noel Treacy as Minister of State at my Department and at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European Affairs.

Deputy Kitt, as Chief Whip, is primarily responsible for the organisation of Government business in the Dáil and for representing the Government's interest in all matters, procedural or otherwise, relating to the conduct of its business by the Dáil. He chairs the Government Legislation Committee and oversees preparation of the Government's legislative programme. In addition, he has responsibility for the Central Statistics Office and for the Information Society. In this respect, he oversees the e-lnclusion Fund established to support the participation of late adopters of technology in an inclusive information society. The Government allocated €1.025 million for the funding of e-inclusion initiatives this year, which includes a particular focus on initiatives targeted primarily at older people and people with disabilities.

In a co-ordinating role in the Department of the Taoiseach, the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, chairs the interdepartmental co-ordinating committee on European Union affairs. The committee keeps under review and works to ensure coherence on the full range of issues on the European Union's agenda. The committee focuses particularly on the correct and timely transposition of EU legislation. The Minister of State also has responsibility for the Government's Communicating Europe initiative which aims to foster broad public understanding of and identification with the issues on the EU agenda.

The Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, plays a key part in the national ratification process of the European constitution. He is in this regard playing an important role in the period of reflection and debate on Europe that was initiated by the European Council last June. He will also play a central role in consolidating and further developing Ireland's positive bilateral EU relations, particularly with the new member states.

In addition to these duties, the Minister of State, Deputy Treacy, has a heavy workload within the Department of Foreign Affairs which workload involves representing the Government at meetings in a wide range of contexts related to European affairs.

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