Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 2 and 3 together.

The Programme for a Partnership Government was published on 11 May 2016 and sets out an ambitious programme of work to be implemented over the lifetime of the Government. Las month, the Government published a progress report on the programme setting out the progress made to date across all of Government on implementing those actions and commitments and includes measures recently announced under budget 2017. This is the first of many regular reports to be published in addition to the annual report which will be published in May following the Government’s first year in office.

In the first six months, some of the key issues progressed across Government included a new action plan for housing and homelessness; the establishment of a €200 million local Infrastructure housing activation fund; an increase in rent limits under the rent supplement and housing assistance payment; the establishment of a task force on the implementation of personalised budgets for persons with disabilities; the establishment of the Citizens’ Assembly; a new dedicated Cabinet committee working on a new rural action plan; the establishment of a mobile phone and broadband task force; two weeks' paternity leave introduced since September 2016; and reforms implemented to give the Oireachtas a stronger role in planning its business and in the budgetary process.

My Department has responsibility for certain commitments in the programme, including the areas of Dáil reform, relations with Britain and Northern Ireland, managing the new partnership approach between Government and Parliament, and the establishment of a Citizens' Assembly.

Officials in my Department are working to progress these issues over the lifetime of the Government.

Immediate areas progressed to date include the setting up and supporting of the Citizens' Assembly to carry out its work independently; a range of Dáil reforms including power for Parliament to plan its own business, a new budget oversight committee to allow the Oireachtas to play a greater role in the budgetary process, the appointment of committee Chairs through the d'Hondt system, the provision of more time for Private Members' business in the Dáil and the grouping of votes to encourage a more family-friendly policy. My Department is actively supporting a whole-of-Government response through dedicated action plans for jobs; housing and homelessness; rural development, and a creative Ireland, which latter plan was launched recently. These action plans are further supported through specific Cabinet committees on the economy, trade and jobs; housing; regional and rural affairs, and arts, Irish and the Gaeltacht, respectively. My Department is ensuring that there is a whole-of-Government response to Brexit, including contingency planning and Brexit negotiations and this is being co-ordinated through a new Brexit Cabinet committee. I expect further progress to be reported on these and other commitments in the next report which I expect to see published in the spring.

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