Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together. A key condition of a successful turn-around strategy for the country is a more joined-up strategic centre at the heart of government. My Department will play a key role at the centre of Government with a more explicit focus on its role as a Cabinet office and with particular oversight of the programme for Government to ensure that the overall priorities of Government are reflected across all Departments. Its core responsibilities will also include ensuring that the Government's deliberations take place with the benefit of an up-to-date assessment of the overall economic, political and social situation, ensuring that the budget preparation process takes account of and reflects strategic priorities of Government, ensuring that the overall priorities of Government are reflected in departmental strategy statements and other strategic documents of Government, such as fiscal strategies and social policies, ensuring that departmental work plans reflect strategic priorities, and keeping the Cabinet informed on delivery of the Government's key priorities.

Over the coming weeks, sections and posts in my Department which have been engaged in work which now comes within the responsibility of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will transfer to that Department. The precise details of the sections and posts to be transferred are being finalised.

The reductions in the size of ministerial private offices and constituency offices that were announced by the Government last week will be applied in respect of my offices and those of the Ministers of State assigned to my Department. Although the relevant staffing arrangements have yet to be finalised, I can assure the House that following the restructuring, the overall size and cost of the Department and of the ministerial offices will be significantly reduced.

There were 167 staff in my Department at the end of December 1996. At the end of December 2010 there were 191 whole-time equivalent staff in the Department.

See this speech in context