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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 16 to 23, inclusive, together.

The National Economic and Social Council, NESC, advises me on strategic policy issues relating to sustainable economic, social and environmental development in Ireland. The NESC work programme currently includes six main areas, which are as follows.

The first is housing, land and sustainable development. In 2022, the council discussed housing at its June and September meetings. These discussions led to a focused council report on the role of private rental accommodation as part of an effective housing system. This report, Private Rental in Ireland, is with me at the moment and will be submitted to Government in the coming weeks.

The second area is the economy. The council is finalising work that focuses on the nature of the Irish economy, its underlying strengths and areas of vulnerability. It is expected that the final council report will be submitted to the Government in the first quarter of this year.

The third area is climate action, just transition and agriculture. This work is exploring, in practical terms, how climate targets and the transition they entail for Irish agriculture can be achieved in a manner that encompasses social equity and inclusion, environmental resilience and economic well-being. A final council report will be prepared in the second quarter of 2023.

Shared island is the next area. NESC will continue to engage with the shared island unit, and this work will include a focus on social enterprise in 2023. A report will be discussed at the NESC council meeting in March 2023.

In the good jobs area, NESC will engage with relevant stakeholders to help provide a basis for work in essential sectors of the economy in which an emphasis on good jobs could provide a mechanism for improving worker well-being, driving innovation and enhancing productivity.

The final area is inequality and well-being. This work by NESC will deepen the understanding of inequality in Ireland and will consider how Ireland’s well-being framework can help identify inequalities and how it can point towards new means of confronting such inequalities.

The NESC-published reports can be found on its website. As reports are finalised in the relevant areas, they are brought to the Government for discussion and noting in advance of publication.

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