Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Regarding the Government and its formation, when we published the programme for Government we attached a document on the functioning of Government. I emphasise again that three parties came together. My overall objective is to ensure the three parties work seamlessly and in co-operation in getting the work of the nation done, and I take that very seriously. My ego is not going to get in the way of doing the right thing. We agreed we would share the chairing of various Cabinet committees. I am keen to have Cabinet committees established to follow through on the implementation of the programme for Government. I have been in government previously and if committees are well organised, they can work very effectively in pulling different Departments together to get things done. My Department tends to be the Department in government that pulls the different Departments together, in particular its economic division.

The Tánaiste, as Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, will chair the Cabinet committee on economic recovery. The Minister, Deputy Ryan, will chair the Cabinet committee on environment and climate change. I am chairing a range of other committees dealing with Covid, housing, health, social affairs and equality committee, education and European affairs. The European committee will meet before every EU Council to bring a cross-departmental approach to it, and in relation to Brexit and Northern Ireland. There is a Government co-ordination committee involving myself, the Tánaiste and the Minister, Deputy Ryan, leader of the Green Party. The structure is designed to enable Government to work with respect to the three parties in a seamless and effective way. That is the objective of the exercise.

Regarding the economy generally and the July jobs stimulus, the Ministers for Public Expenditure and Reform and Finance have key roles and will do much of the running in taking ideas from other Departments in respect of the July stimulus. The Minister, Deputy Michael McGrath, will have the difficult task of making decisions on what will make the cut - one will excuse the word "cut" as it is the wrong word in this case because this is-----

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