Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13 to 15, 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. Deputy Dick Roche was appointed Minister of State at my Department and at the Department of Foreign Affairs with special responsibility for European Affairs.

As Chief Whip, the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt, is primarily responsible for the organisation of Government business in the Dáil and for the Government's programme for Dáil reform. He also oversees preparation of the Government's legislative programme. In addition, my statutory functions under the Statistics Act 1993 for the Central Statistics Office have been delegated to the Minister of State, Deputy Tom Kitt.

In a co-ordinating role in the Department of the Taoiseach, the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, 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 EU's agenda. The committee has a particular focus on the correct and timely transposition of EU legislation. The Minister of State, Deputy Roche, also 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, the Minister of State, Deputy Roche, has a heavy workload within the Department of Foreign Affairs, which involves representing the Government at a wide range of EU and international meetings. Deputy Roche also has responsibility for the Government's Communicating Europe initiative, which aims to foster a broad public understanding of and identification with issues on the EU agenda.

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