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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 and 2 together.

I have reorganised the Cabinet committee structure to streamline political oversight and to focus the work through a smaller number of Cabinet sub-committees which are convened as necessary.

The Government has established the following six Cabinet committees, all of which I chair:

Cabinet committee A, dealing with the economy; Cabinet committee B, dealing with social policy and public services; Cabinet committee C, on the European Union including Brexit; Cabinet committee D, dealing with infrastructure; Cabinet committee E, dealing with health, and Cabinet committee F, dealing with national security.

To date each Cabinet committee has met once.

Under this new structure some committees now have broader terms of reference than before and this is reflected in their membership.

Committees may on occasion meet in different formations depending on the agenda, with additional members being invited to attend as necessary.

There is no change in the practice of substantive issues being referred to Government for approval and a report on the work of each Cabinet committee will continue to be submitted to Government annually.

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