Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 and 25 together.

The Economic Management Council has been established with the status of a Cabinet committee and has four members: the Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The Council's role is to manage the Government's programme and the statement of Government priorities in respect of economic planning and budgetary matters and the integration of the work of Departments and agencies in these matters. It is not appropriate to answer questions about proceedings because it is a Cabinet committee and is protected by the Constitution, although we have had discussions.

Work has been under way across Departments for some time to ensure we best understand the various issues at stake in the EU-UK issue. The Department of the Taoiseach has a leading role given the whole-of-Government dimension of the issue.

In this context, a small unit was established in the Department in May 2015 to deal specifically with British, Irish and Northern Ireland affairs. The Cabinet sub-committee on European Union affairs has oversight of the EU-UK issue and continues to examine it closely. Obviously, these matters are discussed, but there is an oversight responsibility and the Cabinet makes the decision at the end of the day.

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