Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 8 to 13, inclusive, together.

Progress on the implementation of the Government programme is kept constantly under review. Deputies will be aware that for every full year that Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats have been in government, we have published an annual progress report which sets out the progress to date in implementing every commitment contained within the programme for Government. The last edition of the Government progress report was published in the summer of 2005. It is our intention to publish a further report in early 2007.

It is the responsibility of each individual Minister to ensure that the commitments in the programme that fall within his or her particular portfolio are fully implemented. The Department of the Taoiseach derives its mandate from my role as head of Government. As such, it is involved to some degree in virtually all aspects of the work of Government. It provides support to me as Taoiseach and to the Government through the Government secretariat, the Cabinet committee system and through its involvement in key policy areas and initiatives.

The current key strategic priorities of the Department are set out in its strategy statement. They include Northern Ireland, EU and international affairs, economic and social policy, social partnership, public service modernisation and the information society and e-government. I and the Ministers of State in my Department answer questions in the House on these issues. In all its work, my Department works closely with other Departments and offices. Individual Ministers are of course answerable to the House in respect of their own specific areas of responsibility.

The key areas for which my Department is responsible in terms of An Agreed Programme for Government can be broadly summarised as follows: supporting the development and implementation of social partnership, working with the British Government and the parties in Northern Ireland to achieve the implementation of the Good Friday Agreement in all its aspects, co-ordinating the e-government initiative to bring about an expansion in the range and quality of on-line Government services and ensuring that Ireland's key objectives in the European Union are carried forward in the context of my role as a member of the European Council.

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