Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 4: To ask the Taoiseach if he has put in place within his Department a specific function for overseeing the implementation of the Programme for Government; the persons involved and the publications he will issue through his Department relating to implementation of the Programme for Government. [7692/11]

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 5: To ask the Taoiseach if he will report on the implementation of the Programme for Government. [8292/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 6: To ask the Taoiseach the arrangements he has put in place within his Department to oversee the implementation of the Programme for Government and the monitoring reports which he intends publishing. [8592/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 7: To ask the Taoiseach when an agreed implementation timetable for the individual commitments contained in the Programme for Government will be published. [8593/11]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 4 to 7, inclusive, together.

The programme for Government was approved by the Fine Gael and Labour parties on 6 March 2011 and was adopted by the Government at its first meeting as the framework for its work over coming years. The programme sets out the policies and initiatives to be progressed over the term of the Government to tackle the many and varied challenges facing the country. It is the responsibility of each individual Minister to ensure the commitments in the programme that fall within their particular portfolio are fully implemented. I will be reviewing progress on a regular basis with each Minister.

As I indicated to the House on 22 March 2011, my Department will be supporting the implementation of the programme as a whole and it will do this with a more explicit focus on its role as a Cabinet office. The procedures to reflect the new focus are being developed and will be announced shortly.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Cé hé, nó cé hí, an t-oifigeach sa Roinn atá freagrach, go sonrach, as an gclár Rialtais a chur i bhfeidhm? Cé, go sonrach, a bheidh freagrach as ath-mhachnamh a dhéanamh ar an gclár chun a bheith cinnte go bhfuil an clár ag dul i bhfeidhm agus go bhfuil dul chun cinn le feiscint?

As part of the monitoring of the implementation of strategic planning, the Government has, clearly, prepared targeted dates for the promises contained in the programme. Will these be made publicly available? We all agree the House must take a more strategic approach to its work. The most effective first step in this would be to know the target dates for the initiatives we will be considering as part of the implementation of the programme for Government.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Agus an Teachta ag caint i nGaeilge, cuireann sé i gcuimhne dom an díospóireacht a bhí eadrainn i gConamara i rith an olltoghcháin.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Is cuimhin liom go maith é.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Is é Ard-Rúnaí na Roinne a bhéas i bhfheighil an phlean a chur i gcrích, go ginearálta. Mé féin, mar cheannaire pholaitiúil ar an Roinn a bhéas á stiúradh. Deputy Martin is aware that we have set out a number of targets. These are all contained in the programme for Government, which will continue over the lifetime of this Government. I intend to have regular interaction with Ministers and Ministers of State about the elements of the programme that are their individual responsibility.

I cannot give a series of days and dates for the implementation of each specific item. We have set targets for every Minister in respect of the programme for the first 100 days. As we achieve those targets, a second set of targets will be prioritised for fulfilment thereafter. It is not a case of being able to say, across the full range of Departments, what is going to happen on a particular week. We have set a series of targets for Ministers for the first 100 days. As we approach that deadline we will prioritise work on what is achievable for the period after that.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Does the Taoiseach intend to have, over the lifetime of the Government, a framework within which there will be detailed target dates for the implementation of specific commitments contained in the programme for Government?

Does the Taoiseach intend to publish reviews of the implementation of the programme for Government? The practice in the past was to have annual or periodic reviews of the monitoring and strategic evaluation of the programme for Government. Does the Taoiseach intend to publish such reviews?

With regard to the constituent parts of the programme, such as the social dimension and the economic, European and political sides, will specific civil servants be given the responsibility to monitor and oversee the implementation across Government of the proposals contained in the programme for Government?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Deputy Martin is aware that Cabinet meetings are about making decisions in respect of elements of the programme for Government and other matters that arise from time to time. We will have a report for the first 100 days. I intend to meet Ministers and Ministers of State regularly about the elements of the programme that are their responsibilities.

It is fair comment to say one should report progress on a regular basis, but people know this anyway. Every Cabinet decision is available to the public. It might not be any harm to have a regular review of the elements of the programme that have been achieved.

A great deal of work is being done in trying to bring about the full implementation of the Croke Park agreement and what it actually means. There is always a short period when a new Government is formed when Ministers and Ministers of State get to know the range and personnel of their Departments and establish a dynamic to achieve objectives. As Deputy Martin knows from long experience, it can be difficult to turn the ship in the direction one wants in a short time. I have set targets for the first 100 days. We will follow those with other targets and we can discuss them here on a regular basis. This is all in the interest of having a better country.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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The Taoiseach is very clear with regard to targets for public sector reform, so called, and to the slashing of between 22,000 and 25,000 jobs by 2015. With regard to the Government's jobs programme, which the Taoiseach says will come in May, does he have a benchmark for reducing unemployment from the disastrous level of 440,000? Has he set a benchmark for six months, 12 months or 18 months with regard to how many tens of thousands of jobs will have been created and the level of unemployment after those periods?

With regard to employment and unemployment and with regard to local government reform, which the Taoiseach also promised, was he shocked by this morning's announcement that Mayo County Council will slash 150 jobs in his own county? Is that not an incredibly bad start to any talk of local government reform? The loss of 150 jobs will have a huge consequence for public services for the people of Mayo. Does the Taoiseach denounce that proposal?

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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As part of this outline, will the Taoiseach put in place a very easy-to-read outline of the number of U-turns and flip-flops in the implementation of the programme for Government? For example, "not a red cent" has become "billions into the banks". The Taoiseach has also conceded that he will pay outgoing bankers.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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That is nonsense, as Deputy Adams knows. I made the position very clear in the House and we are following through on it. We have made some serious decisions in order to bring some certainty to the banking sector. I pointed out to the Deputy that credit to lend to business will be available from the two pillar banks. I also pointed out that we will introduce a partial loan guarantee scheme for further credit for business so that people in the Deputy's constituency will be able to go to work, will have a job, a career and opportunities. This is what good politics should be all about. It is not a case of having an easy to read document to which the Deputy refers. It will be very easy to tick off the decisions that have been made by Government in the interests of our people and of the country and we will continue to do this. As I stand here, no Government in the history of this State has faced the range of the economic challenge which this Government faces but we will face it with courage and fairness and deal with it because that is what the people elected us to do.

Deputy Joe Higgins referred to 22,000 to 25,000 jobs being cut. He will be aware of what is known as the Croke Park agreement and he will be aware that the Government intends to bring about a transformation of the delivery of public services making them efficient and effective without compulsory redundancies and allowing for the potential and creativity of many thousands of hard-working public servants who want to help their country. We hope to give them that opportunity.

Reform of local government in terms of the delivery of local services is an important issue. I was shocked to hear the Deputy's comment about 150,000 jobs being lost in local authorities until he changed the number to 250. This is a matter that unions and management of the local authority in question will be discussing very soon. I do not have the details of the numbers of retirements or voluntary redundancies that will apply there. I am confident those discussions will take place very shortly.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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It is a case of jobs gone.