Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

My Department's strategy statement sets out the key objectives for my Department for the period 2016 to 2019. The strategy statement is aligned to the Government's key priorities and policies and sets out the following six strategic priorities: providing excellent support services for the Taoiseach and Government; ensuring that Ireland has a sustainable economy; helping to ensure that Government policies and services support a socially inclusive and fair society; ensuring that Ireland maintains strong relationships in Europe and around the world; ensuring the best possible outcomes for Ireland in respect of Brexit which, of course, includes protecting the common travel area and the peace process; and planning for the future in the context of all of the many uncertainties arising in the international environment.

The strategy statement recognises the central and co-ordinating role of my Department in supporting Government to ensure that policies are developed and implemented which support a socially inclusive and fair society. This work is mainly undertaken through the Cabinet committee structure, supporting the implementation of Government policy and effective cross-departmental collaboration. In the case of health and education, these are the Cabinet committee on health and the Cabinet committee on social policy and public service reform. This includes implementation by the respective Departments of programme for Government commitments spanning these areas. These committees last met on 30 May and 23 May respectively.

My Department publishes an annual report on progress towards all the objectives in its strategy statement, and the annual report for 2016 has recently been published on the Department’s website.

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