Dáil debates
Wednesday, 20 February 2008
Ceisteanna — Questions
Departmental Bodies.
11:00 am
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Question 5: To ask the Taoiseach the cross-departmental teams and interdepartmental committees on which his Department is represented; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35292/07]
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am circulating in the Official Report a list for the information of the Deputy detailing the principal cross-departmental teams and Interdepartmental committees on which my Department is represented.
Principal cross-departmental teams and Interdepartmental committees on which the Department of the Taoiseach is represented.
| No. | Interdepartmental Group | Sub Committees under Interdepartmental Groups (only applicable where shown) |
| 1 | Interdepartmental Coordinating Committee on European Affairs | |
| 2 | Senior Officials Group on European Affairs | |
| 3 | Interdepartmental Committee on Reform Treaty | |
| 4 | External Energy Group | |
| 5 | Assistant Secretary Steering Group on the Review of the EU Budget | |
| 6 | Interdepartmental Coordinating Committee on the Council of Europe | |
| 7 | Interdepartmental Committee on the OECD | |
| 8 | Interdepartmental Committee on Development | |
| 9 | High Level Group on the Asia Strategy | |
| 10 | Interdepartmental Working Group on Emergency Planning | |
| 11 | Task Force on Emergency Planning | |
| 12 | Government Legislation Committee | |
| 13 | Freedom of Information Interdepartmental Working Group | |
| 14 | Interdepartmental Emergency Response Coordinating Committee [Nuclear] | |
| 15 | Interdepartmental Committee on Public Health Emergency Planning | |
| 16 | National Security Committee | |
| 17 | Senior Officials Group on Health and related sub group | Working Group on Long-Term Care |
| 18 | Senior Officials Group on Social Inclusion | Senior Officials Group on Disability |
| 19 | Dormant Accounts — Interdepartmental Committees in relation to Persons with a Disability, Economic and Social Disadvantage and Educational Disadvantage | |
| 20 | High Level Group on Travellers | |
| 21 | Interdepartmental Group on Sustainable Travel and Transport Action Plan | |
| 22 | Interdepartmental Group on Drugs | |
| 23 | High Level Group on Activation | |
| 24 | National Carers Strategy Working Group | |
| 25 | Senior Officials Groups on Children's Referendum | |
| 26 | Committee of the Pilot Project for the Co-ordination of Youth Services in Waterford | |
| 27 | Ministerial Task Force on Road Safety | |
| 28 | Interdepartmental Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation | |
| 29 | Lisbon Agenda National Reform Programme Group | |
| 30 | Cross Departmental Team (CDT) on Housing, Infrastructure and PPPs (HIPPPs) | CDT sub-committee on Legal Issues |
| 31 | Interdepartmental Group on PPPs | |
| 32 | Interdepartmental Group on Implementation of National Spatial Strategy | |
| 33 | Transport 21 Monitoring Group | |
| 34 | Cross Departmental Group on Unique Business Identifier and Central Business Registry | |
| 35 | Data Strategy Liaison Group | |
| 36 | Senior Officials Group on Climate Change and Energy Security | |
| 37 | Interdepartmental Committee on Climate Change | |
| 38 | High Level Group on Sustainable Development | |
| 39 | Interdepartmental Committee on Implementation of the National Women's Strategy | |
| 40 | Tax Strategy Group | |
| 41 | e-Strategy Group of Secretaries General | |
| 42 | Assistant Secretaries Implementation Group (ASIG) on Information Society and related sub groups | |
| 43 | National Payments Implementation Programme Advisory Group | |
| 44 | SAFE (Standard Authentication Framework Environment) Steering Group | |
| 45 | ICT Statistics Liaison Group | |
| 46 | Implementation Group of Secretaries General | Task Force on Customer Service |
| 47 | OECD High Level Steering Group | OECD Liaison Group |
| 48 | Interdepartmental Group on the Review of the Economic Regulatory Environment | |
| 49 | High Level Group on Business Regulation | |
| 50 | Steering Committee on the Organisational Review Programme | |
| 51 | Interdepartmental Committee on Aging in the Public Service | |
| 52 | Interdepartmental Committee on the Reconciliation Fund |
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach has just shared much information. When the Taoiseach answered this question previously, he was more detailed in his reply as he listed a range of committees. Does the subgroup of senior officials on disability, which was to progress work on the Disability Bill, still exists? What progress has been made in that group's deliberations?
To keep this brief, as the Taoiseach is inclined to do in this instance, I ask the same question with regard to the strategic task force on alcohol, which was to review international research to identify and recommend to Government specific evidence-based measures to prevent and reduce alcohol-related harm. Where does that task force stand and is that project being progressed at this time?
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I gave exactly the same reply the last time the Deputy asked the question. The Deputy is reading "the blacks", which contain the list I circulated with the answer.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach gave us more information.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I did not. I have a copy of the answer. It states:
My Department participates in a wide range of cross-departmental teams and interdepartmental committees, many of which come under the aegis of other members of the Government and deal with issues primarily under their remit. If the Deputy wishes to obtain information about any specific activity of those teams or committees, he should table a question to the appropriate Minister or Ministers.
I provided the full list this time just to be helpful to the Deputy. I gave him more information.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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The Taoiseach can tell us about them. I have only mentioned two.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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I was trying to be helpful.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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Where would we be without the Taoiseach?
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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Given that my Department is at the centre of Government, it is involved in a large range of cross-departmental teams. The team dealing with the alcohol issue is one of them. I am not sure if it is relevant to this question but two pieces of legislation are related. I answered about one of them during legislative questions and the appropriate Minister has not made a final decision on the other.
Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin (Cavan-Monaghan, Sinn Fein)
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I accept what the Taoiseach has stated but there is a need for a greater information flow in this House on the work of cross-departmental and interdepartmental teams and task forces. I am specifically trying to secure some up-to-date information about just two of them. With reference to the helpful mode the Taoiseach is suggesting he is in this morning, perhaps he will undertake to circulate to this Deputy the up-to-date position on the two areas I have addressed if his notes do not offer the salient detail. These are the subgroup of senior officials on disability, a very important area, and the strategic task force on alcohol.
The Taoiseach has shared information with us, particularly with regard to the latter, given the significant public concern about the abuse of alcohol, particularly by younger people. There are many areas of concern, both in regard to the health of young people and how alcohol affects development and contributes to the continual carnage on our roads. There is a raft of areas involved so I would like to know where this so-called strategic task force stands. Where is its work programme at this point and when will it report?
It would be welcome if the Taoiseach could elaborate on what he has said. I will understand if he does not but in the same spirit as he responded on the question before, I ask him to circulate further information subsequently.
Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Official Report contains the full list of the committees.
I would not be involved with these groups on a daily basis but I know the position of the group relating to alcohol. Two separate pieces of legislation are being considered. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Brian Lenihan, has commenced the examination of the sale of alcohol products and he has engaged the same chairman who dealt with the previous legislation to consider what can be done about the sale and supply of alcohol. The Deputy made the point about the significant number of outlets where alcohol is available, from petrol stations to supermarkets. The issue will be considered.
The other matter relates to advertising. The attitude taken to that for the past few years is to try to co-ordinate the industry to work together to change the image regarding the abuse of alcohol. If that is not working, it is open to the Minister and the cross-departmental team to make a decision at any time to proceed with advertising legislation, which was substantially drafted a few years ago. They are the two main issues.
The Minister, Deputy Brian Lenihan, hopes to have a Bill on the sale of alcohol in the House later this year.