Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

I understand that the Minister for Health and Children answered a Dáil question on this matter on 3 March last. As I stated in reply to Deputy Gilmore earlier, we should see the full report and response from the Department before coming to an informed view. It is important that these rigorous and robust exercises point up issues that must be addressed. I would expect the action plans to address any issues raised in terms of priorities in which the Department should engage and in what way it organises and gives the workloads to the various sections of the Departments, which can vary from time to time depending on what problems or issues arise.

On the Department of Finance, the fourth review will come up at the end of the year in terms of deciding what Departments will be involved. The Departments of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, Education and Science, Foreign Affairs and the Taoiseach are up for consideration in this third phase. Obviously, we will look and see what Departments will be included in the next phase as well.

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