Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Mas sin an cás, ní bheidh deireadh leis an Roinn Pobail, Tuaithe agus Gaeltachta. Má tá muid chun cabhair a thabhairt don Ghaeilge agus don Ghaeltacht, cuireann sé isteach orm féin mar ionadaí poiblí nach bhfuil sé ar ár gcumas faoi láthair leabhair as Gaeilge a chur ar fáil do dhaltaí sna meánscoileanna lán-Ghaeilge. We are still unable to provide up-to-date Irish books for students who pursue their courses through Irish. It is an absolute disgrace that we cannot manage that in this day and age. I simply make that point on foot of the Taoiseach's comment to Deputy Ó Snodaigh in respect of the Gaeltacht and the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs.

The McCarthy report states:

The Public Service Modernisation Division has responsibility for promotion of the modernisation of the Civil and wider Public Service. ... The Group observes that there is an overlap between the work of this division and the activities of the Public Service Modernisation Division in the Department of Finance... The Group considers that responsibility for the implementation of public service modernisation decisions should be located in the Department of Finance given its mission to achieve greater efficiencies across the public service and its leading role in managing many of the recent important public service modernisation initiatives e.g. rationalisation of State agencies.

That has implications for the Taoiseach's Department. Arising from the report's observation that there is an overlap between the public service modernisation division and the Department of Finance, how does the Taoiseach envisage his Department being reformed to deal with what the report recommends in this regard?

Second, does the Taoiseach agree with the statement made by the Tánaiste, that many of the proposals in the McCarthy report make no sense at all? She made that comment when speaking on behalf of the Government in the House. Does he accept that comment?

I understand there are 259 staff in the Department of the Taoiseach at present. The Department of Finance has taken responsibility for economic affairs, social partnership has run into difficulties and Northern Ireland and European affairs are dealt with by the Department of Foreign Affairs. What is the role of the Department of Finance in assigning people to areas where there are co-ordination, leadership and other responsibilities? The Taoiseach said that the role of the Department of Finance does not rule out "the need for us to assign people to these areas because we have co-ordinating, leadership and other responsibilities". I accept that. How does the Taoiseach envisage his Department fitting in with what the McCarthy report proposes? Does it have relevance to the Taoiseach's Department and does he still envisage the leadership, co-ordinating and other responsibilities his Department has continuing as heretofore?

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