Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The answer to Deputy Martin's question is that the Office of the Tánaiste will be supported by a small secretariat of approximately two staff from within the current staff numbers. I will give Deputy Martin the rationale behind the other change. Perhaps his view is as someone who was in the Department of Foreign Affairs and did an extensive tour of duty. The problem is that the matter of the co-ordination in respect of European integration is better handled from the Department of the Taoiseach in the sense of being able to draw the requirements from every Department to ensure that happens. It is not a taking over of responsibilities from the Tánaiste or from the Minister of State with responsibility for European affairs. It is merely the co-ordination of the European process which, as Deputy Martin correctly points out, now goes across every Department. This is why the appointment of the Second Secretary General to the Department of the Taoiseach will manage it from the Department of the Taoiseach in an effective way, working to the Tánaiste in respect of his responsibilities, to the Minister of State in respect of her responsibilities and to me as Head of Government in respect of my responsibilities. I see this as improving a position which, as Deputy Martin pointed out, during various EU Presidencies did well under challenging circumstances. I am keen to make it even better. For this reason we moved the general staff from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade into the section in the Department of the Taoiseach dealing with the co-ordination of European matters. That is the rationale behind it and I believe it will work effectively.

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