Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 15, inclusive, together.

Progress on the implementation of the Government programme is kept under review. Deputies will be aware that on the completion of each full year that Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats have been in Government, we have published an annual progress report that sets out progress to date in implementing every commitment in the programme for Government.

The last edition of the Government progress report was published in July 2005. It was decided to defer publication of a report in 2006 and instead to publish a final progress report in 2007, giving a full account of the achievements of this Government in implementing the programme. This final report will give a more complete picture of the Government's level of delivery over almost the entirety of its term of office. It is the responsibility of each Minister to ensure the commitments in the programme that fall within his or her 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. Both I and the Ministers of State in my Department answer questions in the House on these issues. In all of its work, my Department works closely with other Departments and offices. Individual Ministers are answerable to the House in respect of their 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 online 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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