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

I propose to take Questions Nos. 15 to 22, 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. NESC was established in 1973 and celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. I spoke at a conference last week to mark this occasion, which demonstrated NESC's history and role in providing research, dialogue, and advice to Government. NESC is currently working in four main areas.

One is accounting for nature. The report from the council is focused on examining how Ireland can better account for nature and how natural assets are appropriately valued in policy development and decision-making. It is expected that this report will be published in the first quarter of next year.

The second area is good jobs. This work focusses on job quality and the range of benefits that it can provide for employees, enterprises and wider society. It examines what is meant by good jobs and bad jobs, the range of public and private sector actions and investment, both Irish and EU, which can help build good jobs and what the literature calls a good jobs economy. The work considers international experience, including in Scotland and Wales. The report will provide guidance and building blocks to help underpin the development of sustained and collaborative strategy to promote a good jobs economy in Ireland. It is expected that the report will be published in the second quarter of next year.

The third area is housing. This work is examining options that will help to promote affordable, integrated and sustainable residential development. This includes considering the role of emerging systems thinking within housing research, with a particular focus on the practical aspects of active land management and modern methods of construction.

It is expected that this NESC work will be concluded in quarter two of 2024. Finally, regarding a shared island, NESC is continuing to engage with the shared island initiative. Over the coming months, this will include assisting and providing input into the shared island youth forum.

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