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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1 to 12, inclusive, together.

The role of the social policy and public service reform division is to assist me, as Taoiseach, and the Government, in fulfilling programme for Government objectives to help create a socially inclusive and fair society. Specifically, the division assists the work of the newly established Cabinet committees, as follows. The Cabinet committee on social affairs and public services and the associated senior officials' group oversee programme for Government commitments in the areas of social policy, with a particular focus on equality and integration and public service reform, which includes efforts to reform the statutory framework for ethics in public office. The committee last met on 8 May and will meet again in the period ahead.

The Cabinet committee on children and education and the associated senior officials' group oversee the programme for Government commitments in the area of children and education, including further and higher education, with a specific focus on child poverty and well-being and to confront local area disadvantage.

The Cabinet committee on health and the associated senior officials’ group oversee programme for Government commitments regarding health and health system reforms, including Sláintecare, reform of disability services and development of mental health services. This committee will also maintain an overview of public health, including the impact of Covid-19 and the cross-government response.

The Cabinet committee on the humanitarian response to Ukraine and the associated senior officials’ group oversee the whole-of-government humanitarian response to assist people from Ukraine who have sought temporary protection here. The division also assists the work of the Civil Service management board, which oversees Civil Service renewal and other matters. It has departmental oversight of the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, advances the Dublin north-east inner city, NEIC, initiative, including through assisting the work of the programme implementation board, programme office and oversight group. It has responsibility for managing the child poverty and well-being programme office which is bringing strategic leadership and enhanced accountability to these issues. It assists public service reform through membership of the public service leadership board and public service management group. It provides me with briefing and speech material on social policy and public service reform issues. It also incorporates the policing reform implementation programme office, which oversees the implementation of A Policing Service for our Future, which is the Government’s plan to reform policing in Ireland in line with the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland.

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