Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The engagement with the social partners was never exclusively a matter for the Taoiseach, although I have led in many of the negotiations and I will continue to maintain a central interest here. As Deputy Martin is aware, primary legislation is required to establish the new Department of public expenditure and reform and it will be pushed through as a matter of some urgency.

As Deputy Martin is well aware from having served in Government, the social partnership arrangement was central to stabilising industrial relations in the country for many years. Social partnership extended into a whole range of areas for which it was probably never intended in the beginning. In that sense, a one size fitting everything approach did not work as effectively as it should have. I have been invited by several of the social partners to meet them and I intend to do so during the period ahead. Suffice to say that the Department of the Taoiseach, my Department, will continue to keep a central involvement in this area. When the legislation giving effect to the Minister for public expenditure and reform is completed, the Minister will be centrally involved as well.

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