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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 5 to 10, inclusive, together.

My Department's new statement of strategy, published earlier this year, reflects the role of the Department to support me, as Taoiseach, and the Government to develop a sustainable economy and a successful society, to pursue Ireland's interests abroad, to implement the Government's programme and to build a better future for Ireland and all her citizens. The statement of strategy outlines the context and challenges ahead in pursuing this goal and is reflected in the six strategic priorities for the period ahead. These are: support for me, as Taoiseach, and the Government; securing our future by tackling Covid-19, Brexit and climate action; restoring the economy, including an absolute focus on housing; building a better society; strengthening Ireland's place in Europe and the wider world; and building consensus on a shared island, North-South and east-west.

The system of Cabinet committees has already been restructured to reflect these priorities to ensure that Government policy is well harmonised and responsive. The statement of strategy has been developed with particular reference to the immediate challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit, but my Department will continue to be responsive to new and emerging challenges in the future. In addition to its ongoing work, my Department will undertake new work streams including the new shared island unit, the Future of Media Commission and developing social dialogue. It will also ensure the collective work on housing and climate action is prioritised right across all Departments.

My Department's annual report for 2020 will be finalised and published in the coming weeks and will set out the work of my Department last year, much of which involved supporting the whole-of-government response to the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the past year, officials in my Department have been working night and day on matters related to the pandemic and pulling together the different departmental strands of that, ensuring a collective Government response. I pay tribute to all the senior officials in the Department of the Taoiseach for the extraordinary effort that has been required from the outset of the pandemic right up to today. It has been out of the ordinary in terms of the normal duties civil servants have had to attend to. It has been extraordinary work and speaks well of our public service more generally. The same applies to many other Departments.

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