Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

The Deputy's question refers to the relationship between individual Ministers, Cabinet sub-committees and the Cabinet itself. The programme for Government is the agreed programme between the Fine Gael Party and Labour Party in government. It is the programme that Ministers work towards implementing. There are more than 500 commitments in the programme for Government and it is our intention to implement it in full. I have already explained that in a small number of cases, it has not been possible to implement an issue because of constitutional or legal problems.

Overall policy is set by the Government. The targets for the reduction in our deficit have been set and agreed between the Government and the troika at 7.5% for 2012. The ceilings in respect of spending, within which Ministers will have to live, were agreed by the Government last year. The Cabinet sub-committees work towards objectives set by the Government, allowing for a far greater focus and effectiveness in ensuring those actions are taken. The opportunity to interact on a much more concentrated level with public servants and public sector organisations working with Ministers helps to bring about results.

Last week I presented 20 awards for public service excellence on behalf of the Department of the Taoiseach. These awards related to a range of activities, including achievements in Mountjoy Prison, by the Forensic Science Laboratory, by Naval Service personnel, in the area of education and so on. These were brilliant examples of leadership in the public service by people who not only showed initiative and enterprise in recommending new methods of achievement in the public sector but actually put those methods into practice and, in so doing, demonstrated motivation and team discipline within their separate spheres.

The Cabinet makes decisions about policy. Ministers, working either individually or as a group, may bring single or joint memos to Government from the Cabinet sub-committees at which their work was completed and has been endorsed, for final decision by the Cabinet. In effect, it is a method of focusing and emphasising particular areas of work and to allow Ministers to respond to the Cabinet committees chaired by the Taoiseach. They are able to get that work done and bring those agreed memos to Government for final approval. The Cabinet sets the overall policy, but individual areas are worked upon by Ministers, in accordance with their responsibilities, through the Cabinet sub-committee system.

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