Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 5 together.

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

As Chief Whip, Deputy Kitt 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. He also has responsibility for the Central Statistics Office and for co-ordination of the Government's strategy for the continued development of the knowledge society in Ireland.

In a co-ordinating role in the Department of the Taoiseach, Deputy Treacy chairs an 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 EU's agenda. The Committee has a particular focus on the correct and timely transposition of EU legislation. Deputy Treacy also has responsibility for the Government's communicating Europe initiative, which aims to foster a broad public understanding of, and identification with, the issues on the EU agenda.

Deputy Treacy plays 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, Deputy Treacy has a heavy workload within the Department of Foreign Affairs, representing the Government at meetings in a wide range of contexts related to European affairs and representing Ireland at EU meetings at Minister of State level on European Union affairs. I have no plans to reallocate the responsibilities of Deputies Kitt or Treacy.

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