Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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Question 3: To ask the Taoiseach the sub-committees of the Cabinet he has set-up; and the membership of each such sub-committee. [8289/11]

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Question 4: To ask the Taoiseach if any Cabinet sub-committees have been set up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8365/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 5: To ask the Taoiseach the status of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Infrastructure [10461/11]

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 3 to 5, inclusive, together.

The Government has established the following Cabinet sub-committees: economic recovery and jobs, social policy, climate change and the green economy, European affairs, economic infrastructure, Irish and the Gaeltacht and public service reform. The convenors of these Cabinet sub-committees are as follows: economic recovery and jobs - the Minister for Enterprise, Jobs and Innovation; social policy - the Minister for Social Protection; climate change and the green economy - the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government; European affairs - the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade; economic infrastructure - the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport; Irish and the Gaeltacht - the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht; and public service reform - the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform.

The Government economic management council has also been established with the status of a Cabinet sub-committee. I am a member of the council, with the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. For the information of Deputies, I am circulating in the Official Report a list of the Cabinet sub-committees and their membership.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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Before inviting Deputies to ask supplementary questions, I remind them that they may not inquire about discussions at the Cabinet or its sub-committees. I call Deputy Joe Higgins.

Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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He is speechless.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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The Ceann Comhairle has left me speechless.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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That is unusual for the Deputy, but that is what stated in Standing Orders.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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I know, much to the delight of the benches opposite. What exactly is the role of the sub-committees? I have not yet had the benefit of seeing the membership lists, but is there a crossover in membership of many or most of them? How often will they meet? How will they relate to the Cabinet and the Dáil and will the Taoiseach report to the Dáil on their workings?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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To answer the Deputy's question, quite a number of personnel are on each of the Cabinet sub-committees, depending on the range of subjects they follow. The Deputy will receive the list when it is circulated. The issues to be discussed are not for discussion here because they carry the same level of confidentiality as Cabinet meetings, but, in general, the sub-committees will focus on individual sectors to enable more focused or concentrated discussion of particular issues by the relevant Ministers. Conclusions arrived at by the Cabinet committees are then brought before Cabinet for final approval.

When the Deputy sees the full list and the range of personnel thereon he will see that there is clearly significant representation from different Ministries, as there should be, on the Cabinet committees we have set up.

Joe Higgins (Dublin West, Socialist Party)
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I have heard about a sub-committee related to the financial services sector. Is there any such sub-committee and, if so, is the Taoiseach involved in it? I believe the previous Government had one.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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That was not a sub-committee.

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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I have not reconstituted any such Cabinet committee. There are seven sub-committees covering a broad range of sectors with which the Cabinet will have to look at. This is a matter that can be considered directly by the Cabinet if required. It could perhaps be dealt with under the area of public service reform or economic recovery and jobs.

Gerry Adams (Louth, Sinn Fein)
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Ba mhaith liom ceist a chur ar an Taoiseach faoin economic management council. It is my understanding that this council will take some of the key economic decisions that will affect citizens. How does the Dáil hold that committee to account? Will we be given reports and, if so, how often? Will we be able to ask questions about decisions of the committee? Who is on the committee apart from the membership named by the Taoiseach?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Cabinet committee comprises the four members I have mentioned: the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, and myself. Each Cabinet committee draws on particular personnel depending on the matter under discussion. The economic management council, which has met 12 times to date, deals with the main agenda of economic issues that go through for discussion and conclusion by the Cabinet in its plenary meetings. From that point of view, the decisions of the Cabinet are a matter for discussion here. These decisions become public and Members of the Oireachtas are entitled to debate them and put their views for or against as the case may be. It is a matter of streamlining the main areas of economic discussion that need to be attended to rather than having these issues deliberated upon in open session ad nauseam at Cabinet. The economic management council can bring a greater focus on these issues, after which they can go back to the Cabinet for final decision in a shorter time.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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In the past, sections dealing with the public service, economics and infrastructure had an independent existence within the Department of the Taoiseach independent of servicing a Cabinet committee. I wish to clarify that this remains the case. I am concerned that the Standing Orders of the House may allow a situation to develop in which the Taoiseach would not have to answer questions about the general work of his Department under those headings. I ask the Taoiseach to confirm that he does not intend that to be the case and that the work of his Department will not be hidden behind Cabinet confidentiality.

I have raised in the Dáil on a number of occasions the fact that Ministers and spokespersons have been able to make detailed statements about the agendas of the Cabinet and its sub-committees. For example, the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Deputy Varadkar, briefed newspapers about the agenda of the economic infrastructure sub-committee. I ask this basic question: Why should the Dáil be limited by Cabinet confidentiality in what it can discuss while no such limit is placed on Ministers and advisers in regard to the agenda and issues to be discussed by these committees?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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There is no change in the situation. As the Deputy is aware, Article 28.4.3o of the Constitution refers deliberately and specifically to Cabinet committees. For example, it states:

The confidentiality of discussions at meetings of the Government shall be respected in all circumstances save only where the High Court determines that disclosure should be made in respect of a particular matter - (i) in the interests of the administration of justice by a Court, or (ii) by virtue of an overriding public interest, pursuant to an application in that behalf by a tribunal appointed by the Government or a Minister of the Government on the authority of the Houses of the Oireachtas to inquire into a matter...

There is no change in that.

I think the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, made his comment before the committee was set up.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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He spoke about the agenda and what it will do.

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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That is in the programme for Government.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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We cannot discuss it here. That is the point I am making.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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The Minister has been going to too many night clubs

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Obviously, they can be referred to here only in a factual nature. We do not have to answer questions no more than the Deputy did previously about issues that were discussed at Cabinet committees. The situation is the same in so far as confidentiality is concerned.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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It is not.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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He has been going to too many night clubs.

Jonathan O'Brien (Cork North Central, Sinn Fein)
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On the issue of Cabinet sub-committees, has any consideration been given to setting up a sub-committee to deal with the issue of drugs and alcohol given that more than 500 deaths annually result from drug abuse alone excluding those related to alcohol abuse? That issue should be a priority for any Government, with which I am sure the Taoiseach would agree. Has he any plans to set up a sub-committee to deal with that issue?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The issue of drugs is a matter for the Government and is of serious concern to everybody around the country. We do not have a Cabinet committee dealing specifically with drugs but obviously in regard to justice, health and social policy, these issues are all quite likely to be discussed at one committee or another.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The constitutional article is as it is set out, as the Taoiseach quoted, but the reality is that Ministers and their advisers and spokespeople can talk freely about the agendas of Cabinet sub-committees but Opposition spokespeople are not in a position to discuss those in any way. That is the reality of the situation.

Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Ceann Comhairle)
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It is possible to table a question to the line Minister on any issue.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I accept that. I am talking about the agenda of Cabinet sub-committees. I have been told that we cannot discuss it on confidentiality grounds, yet, as we know from the Minister, Deputy Varadkar, and others, they can talk openly about it and so on. That is the reality as we see it. It is absurd and perhaps it is something we should collectively address in terms of what can and cannot be discussed. If Ministers, advisers and spokespeople can discuss it, surely Members of the Oireachtas should be in a position-----

Timmy Dooley (Clare, Fianna Fail)
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Hear, hear.

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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-----to discuss the agenda of Cabinet sub-committees and the general direction, at least, of the issues being discussed. Regular briefings are being given about this committee and that committee as we know. Has the Taoiseach considered establishing a Cabinet sub-committee on health?

Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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No, I did not give consideration to a specific Cabinet committee on health. The Minister for Health attends by virtue of the fact that, for instance, the committee dealing with social policy will have the Minister for Health thereon and a number of others dealing with public service reform where issues of health can be raised. We did not give consideration to a specific committee on health. The Minister is very occupied on this. In any event, as the Deputy will be well aware, to find the time to convene and chair committee meetings dealing with a broad range of issues is an adventure in itself.