Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 7: To ask the Taoiseach his plans regarding the structure and staffing of his Department. [5337/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 8: To ask the Taoiseach the staffing numbers of his Department in December 1996 and December 2010 and his proposals for the future staffing of his Department. [5342/11]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 7 and 8 together. A key condition of a successful turn-around strategy for the country is a more joined-up strategic centre at the heart of government. My Department will play a key role at the centre of Government with a more explicit focus on its role as a Cabinet office and with particular oversight of the programme for Government to ensure that the overall priorities of Government are reflected across all Departments. Its core responsibilities will also include ensuring that the Government's deliberations take place with the benefit of an up-to-date assessment of the overall economic, political and social situation, ensuring that the budget preparation process takes account of and reflects strategic priorities of Government, ensuring that the overall priorities of Government are reflected in departmental strategy statements and other strategic documents of Government, such as fiscal strategies and social policies, ensuring that departmental work plans reflect strategic priorities, and keeping the Cabinet informed on delivery of the Government's key priorities.

Over the coming weeks, sections and posts in my Department which have been engaged in work which now comes within the responsibility of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will transfer to that Department. The precise details of the sections and posts to be transferred are being finalised.

The reductions in the size of ministerial private offices and constituency offices that were announced by the Government last week will be applied in respect of my offices and those of the Ministers of State assigned to my Department. Although the relevant staffing arrangements have yet to be finalised, I can assure the House that following the restructuring, the overall size and cost of the Department and of the ministerial offices will be significantly reduced.

There were 167 staff in my Department at the end of December 1996. At the end of December 2010 there were 191 whole-time equivalent staff in the Department.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In his reply the Taoiseach appears to outline a role for his Department in terms of the budget and an overseeing budgetary strategy. Perhaps he might elaborate on his reply. He also referenced fiscal strategy. Did I hear correctly that a section located within the Taoiseach's Department that dealt with public expenditure and public service reform is now to be moved out of that Department to the new Department of Public Expenditure and Public Service Reform? Is that in addition to the numbers working within the former Department of Finance, who will also form a new office?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Yes. An assistant secretary and a small number of staff in the Department of the Taoiseach who had been dealing with public service reform will move to the new Department of Public Expenditure and Public Service Reform. I consider one of the important roles of the Office of the Taoiseach is to be able to ensure that the priority of the Government is achieved and this will involve interaction with Ministers on a regular basis to see that the programme for Government is followed through. The Office of the Taoiseach has the opportunity to interact directly with senior members of the public service and also to work with Ministers in ensuring that whatever difficulties exist in regard to elements of the programme of Government can be addressed.

In respect of budgetary matters this will mean that the budgetary preparation process takes account of the priorities of Government. In other words, its purpose is to keep an eye on things.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is interesting. In a written reply on this matter earlier this week the Taoiseach stated he would not have executive functions and I believe I detected a Sir Humphrey moment in the composition of that reply. However, if the Taoiseach does not mind my saying so, this reply seems somewhat different. He spoke of keeping an eye on things. In essence we will have two Ministers for Finance, one responsible for public expenditure, the other for taxation and budgetary matters. Now the Taoiseach appears to indicate he, too, will have a role in budgetary strategy. Ultimately, there must be some sense of coherence.

What appears to be happening is that the Taoiseach is scrambling around trying to build up an edifice for the Tánaiste. It reminds me of the team Dick Spring had when he was Tánaiste within the Taoiseach's Office.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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It was very effective.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Of course, Deputy Stagg would say that. It was effective from his partisan political point of view.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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This is Question Time.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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It was very effective.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It did not turn out so effective at the end of the day.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Speak through the Chair, Deputy.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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It got results.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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That is fine. The Deputy obviously forgets-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Deputy, please speak through the Chair. This is Question Time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Of course, I will speak through the Chair, a Cheann Comhairle, but you might direct your comments to Deputy Stagg-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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I have already directed my comments to Deputy Stagg and he knows that.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----to tell him to refrain from interfering, as he is wont to do.

Emmet Stagg (Kildare North, Labour)
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The first to be thrown out of the House.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The office referred to seems to be-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Let the Deputy move on and ask a question.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----under a different name in a different context.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Martin may not realise it but there is a different Government in office.

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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One important point is our realisation this is not a Government of independent Departments. It is a Government that will focus on co-ordination and an effective decision making process.

Deputies:

Hear, hear.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I have not assumed, or tried to assume unto myself, executive authority for every decision. It is an honour and a privilege to appoint Ministers to Cabinet and to accept their responsibility. However, that responsibility is not individual or locked into a tunnel, a rut or a silo. It is part of joined up Government thinking to implement the programme for Government in the interests of the people, the betterment of the country and according to the mandate we received. From that point of view, as the Deputy is well aware, the Office of the Taoiseach must take an interest and an oversight view of the work of Government. Politicians are here for two purposes; they must find solutions and they also make decisions. In the role of Taoiseach it is my privilege to encourage and motivate people in order to assist them in their work in achieving the objectives and targets of the Government for the overall benefit of the country. In that sense the issues I have outlined do not take away from an individual Minister or responsibilities; it is a real attempt to have a co-ordinated response through all the Departments in the interests of our people and country.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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We recognise that there is another Government in office. Whether it is different remains to be seen and we are still trying to spot the difference.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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It is very different.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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I have a couple of ceisteanna. There was a practice where staff in Departments were assigned to constituency work. How many staff, if any, in the Taoiseach's Department are assigned to this? In the last Dáil an adviser from the Department of the Taoiseach was seconded to the office of the Minister for Health and Children. Have steps been taken to rectify that position?

There is another point on which to reflect. At a time when the British had direct responsibility in the North, it may have been appropriate that we were dealt with through the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Assembly is now ending its first term ever since partition so we are clearly at a different dispensation. There may be merit in the Government considering having somebody in the Taoiseach's Department dealing directly with that part of the island. I know many Irish citizens, not just Nationalists and republicans, do not feel happy that we are dealt with by the Department of Foreign Affairs. We are all part of the one island and one nation. There might be something there to reflect on and perhaps we could discuss that informally at some other point.

The two main questions concern whether there are advisers assigned to constituency work and if so, how many; second, has the position of person who was seconded to the office of the Minister for Health and Children been rectified?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The programme for Government indicates that the size of the Department of the Taoiseach will be reduced. As I stated, a number of staff will transfer to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. There are 20 people working in that area, and that is in addition to the previously planned reductions in the staffing of the Department in any event.

The Government made a decision at its meeting last week that in respect of Minister's private offices, there would be a reduction from a maximum of ten to a maximum of eight people engaged. In respect of Minister's constituency offices there would be a reduction from a maximum of six to a maximum of four people engaged. In the private offices of a Minister of State, the maximum of seven people would be reduced to a maximum of five; in a Minister of State's constituency office, the maximum of five people would be reduced to a maximum of three. Where a Minister of State is assigned to two Departments, the maximum would be reduced from nine to seven. These changes will be put in effect.

The other person mentioned by the Deputy was a press officer for the Progressive Democrats and was covered in remuneration by the Department of the Taoiseach. That person is no longer an adviser on health or politics.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That completes the time for questions.

Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
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A Cheann-Comhairle-----

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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The time is up.