Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The National Economic and Social Development Office, NESDO, comes under the aegis of my Department and there are no plans to change this. The NESDO is the corporate body of the National Economic and Social Council. The function of the council is to analyse and report to the Taoiseach on strategic issues relating to the efficient development of the economy and the achievement of social justice and the development of a strategic framework for the conduct of relations and the negotiation of agreements between the Government and social partners. NESC has offered a valuable combination of economic, social, environmental and institutional perspectives that are necessary for good policy making.

I last appointed the council in 2011 and the five-year term has expired. At the moment my Department is assessing the arrangements that will work best for a new council. As part of the considerations the Secretary General of my Department wrote to members of the outgoing council seeking views and suggestions on the future role and work programme of a council in advance of a plenary discussion held on 17 November last. The meeting provided the opportunity for the council to reflect on its work to date, and to discuss its views on the best arrangements for the council and its future work programme in a changing policy landscape. It is important that we have the best arrangements in place and I expect that these will be finalised shortly.

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