Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

Within the framework of the Government's commitment to fiscal stability and the restoration of a functioning banking system, economic recovery will require a renewed focus on supporting enterprise and driving innovation. The agenda set out in the recent report of the task force on innovation highlights some of what needs to be done, building on the very significant presence of overseas companies and the potential for a much faster rate of growth of our many high-potential indigenous companies. I propose to sharpen this focus within the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, which will be renamed the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, by transferring to it funding for the programme for research in third level institutions. This will help to bring together a streamlined and focused programme of funding of research and development aligned with the objectives of enterprise policy.

Growing the enterprise sector to produce employment opportunities requires that our people are trained and skilled to take advantage of job opportunities. Responsibility for skills and training policy is being re-allocated to the Department of Education and Science, which will become the Department of Education and Skills. In addition to the work of the expert skills group, responsibility will transfer for the training activities of FÁS, which will therefore be aligned more closely with the further education and training activities of the VECs, the institutes of technology and programmes such as Youthreach.

Providing a more effective and streamlined response to the needs of the unemployed requires more joining up and ultimately integration of the income support provided through the social welfare system with the support for activation and preparation for re-entry to employment. Accordingly, responsibility for the employment services of FÁS is being transferred to the Department of Social and Family Affairs, which will become the Department of Social Protection. The community services programmes of FÁS will also be the responsibility of this Department and I also intend to transfer responsibility for the operation of the rural social scheme to that Department so as that services providing income and direct work opportunities for the unemployed are brought together. In due course, I envisage that responsibility for the payment of redundancy and insolvency payments will also be transferred to this Department.

It is important, while addressing the priority issues in responding to unemployment and driving economic recovery, that we do not lose sight of the importance of social development, the targeting of the most vulnerable and support for those working to make a difference right across our communities. I have therefore decided that the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs will become the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs and will incorporate responsibility for social inclusion policy and family policy from the Department of Social and Family Affairs and for equality, disability, integration and human rights from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform.

The revised programme for Government sets out the priority objectives to be pursued over the period ahead. It contains a clear agenda for change and delivery across all Departments, including those that are not affected by the reconfiguration I am announcing today. All have their role to play. In this regard, I want to refer specifically to the important role to be played by the Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport, not only in the vital area of tourism policy and performance, but in realising the full potential of our strong performance and reputation in the area of arts and culture and ensuring that the creative industries play their full part in the vital task of economic renewal. The tourism and hospitality industry employs more than 200,000 people and brings in over €6 billion in revenue every year. We want to grow this business significantly. In order to secure better synergy with related activities, I am transferring responsibility for the horse and greyhound racing industries to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

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