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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 to 25, inclusive, together. The priorities set out in my Department's Strategy Statement 2021-2023 reflects the role of the Department to support me as Taoiseach and the Government to ensure 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.

My Department continues to work at the centre to ensure that policies developed support the Government's commitment to develop Ireland in a sustainable way, which supports economic development and social progress. It achieves this mainly through the Cabinet committee structure. Through the work of the 11 Cabinet committees, supported by my Department, a range of cross-Government work has been advanced under the direction of this strategy statement, including: delivering a fair and progressive budget providing €11 billion in measures to help families and businesses cope with the impact of rising prices; co-ordinating the work across Government on Ireland’s humanitarian response for over 65,000 people who have arrived from Ukraine and have availed of temporary protection in Ireland; protecting Ireland’s economic recovery through continued job creation and transitioning towards a decarbonised and digital economy; driving delivery of the Government’s Housing for All plan to increase the supply of housing and to provide a sustainable housing system into the future; supporting Ireland's role in Europe and the world, including through my participation in the European Council, Ireland's seat on the UN Security Council and with respect to continuing European Union-United Kingdom discussions on the Northern Ireland protocol; continuing to advance peace, prosperity and reconciliation on the island of Ireland including driving the delivery of our commitments on a shared island on a whole-of-government basis, through the shared island unit in my Department and the shared island fund; supporting the development of the Climate Action and Low Carbon Development (Amendment) Act 2021 and the Climate Action Plan 2021, which are key elements of a suite of measures introduced to fundamentally alter Ireland's approach to climate change; ongoing work of the citizens' assembly, including the two citizens’ assemblies on biodiversity loss and a directly elected mayor for Dublin, which are nearing completion; continued work across my Department on a range of initiatives such as implementing Harnessing Digital - The Digital Ireland Framework; progressing Ireland’s well-being framework, developing the Government’s approach to social dialogue, implementation of the future of policing plan and work on Civil Service renewal.

My Department will continue to provide progress reports under the six strategic priorities set out in the strategy through the normal annual reporting cycle.

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