Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Cabinet committee comprises the four members I have mentioned: the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and myself. Each Cabinet committee draws on particular personnel depending on the matter under discussion. The economic management council, which has met 12 times to date, deals with the main agenda of economic issues that go through for discussion and conclusion by the Cabinet in its plenary meetings. From that point of view, the decisions of the Cabinet are a matter for discussion here. These decisions become public and Members of the Oireachtas are entitled to debate them and put their views for or against as the case may be. It is a matter of streamlining the main areas of economic discussion that need to be attended to rather than having these issues deliberated upon in open session ad nauseam at Cabinet. The economic management council can bring a greater focus on these issues, after which they can go back to the Cabinet for final decision in a shorter time.

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