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

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

My Department's primary role is to support me, as Taoiseach, and the Government in delivering on our programme. During the next three months, my Department will therefore support delivery of significant Government policy objectives, including the development of a ten-year capital investment plan alongside the national planning framework; ensuring that Ireland's Brexit priorities continue to be strongly represented in the ongoing negotiations between the EU and the United Kingdom; supporting the peace process and the restoration of power-sharing in Northern Ireland; developing the Action Plan for Jobs 2018, including specific responses to the challenge of Brexit; finalising a roadmap for pensions reform; implementing Rebuilding Ireland to increase housing supply and tackle homelessness and developing the Government's response to the Sláintecare report. These are just a few of the many policies which will be progressed over that period.

In most of these areas, the primary responsibility lies with the relevant line Department. The role of my Department is to help ensure that policies are developed and implemented in a coherent way across different Departments and to support me in my role as Head of Government. This includes my role as chair of Government meetings and Cabinet committees, attendance at the European Council, the North-South Ministerial Council, the British-Irish Council and other national and international engagements. My Department will also seek to ensure effective communication of Government policy in these and other areas.

My Department is also currently updating its statement of strategy to reflect some of the changes that have taken place in recent months following my election. This includes the establishment of a new configuration of Cabinet committees and some changes in the functions of Ministers of State and of Departments.

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