Michael Kitt (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Members of the Seanad for the opportunity to commend the National Economic and Social Development Office Bill to this House. The purpose of this Bill is to establish the National Economic and Social Development Office, comprising three bodies, the National Economic and Social Council, NESC, the National Economic and Social Forum, NESF, and the National Centre for Partnership and Performance, NCPP. Both the NESC and the NESF have been in existence on their own for some time but the more recently established NCPP — successor to the National Centre for Partnership — arises from the commitment in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness that it be located with the NESC and the NESF, within the National Economic and Social Development Office, where it would work with IBEC and ICTU in supporting the deepening of partnership. All three bodies have been operating on a non-statutory basis since their establishment. This Bill, when enacted, will place them for the first time on a statutory basis.

The National Economic and Social Development Office, or NESDO as it is known, which is being established under this Bill is, as I have already said, made up of three separate bodies and I would like at the outset to say a few words about the important work of each. The National Economic and Social Council was established in 1973 as an advisory body to the Government on the development of the national economy and the achievement of social justice. The council also provides a forum in which views can be exchanged between people who have a common interest in the development of the economy and the pursuit of social justice. The council is representative of the major economic and social interests in our society and this fact is reflected in its membership.

The council has undertaken innovative and pioneering work in a number of areas. Many of its strategy reports have provided the framework for negotiations of the national agreements between Government and the social partners since 1987. Last December, the NESC published its three-yearly strategic overview of Irish economic and social policy entitled, NESC Strategy 2006, People, Productivity and Purpose, which paved the way to the current negotiations on a successor to Sustaining Progress. As Senators are aware, discussions with the social partners are currently under way in the context of securing a new social partnership agreement.

The first strand within the negotiations on a new pay agreement has been focusing on concerns about maintaining and protecting employment standards and it is recognised that there is a need to find the right balance between ensuring decent employment standards and maintaining our competitiveness, flexibility and attractiveness to investment. The agreement of the ICTU executive council on 26 April that sufficient progress has been made in this regard is welcome and this means that the talks have now moved on to address pay and other workplace related issues.

Several other plenary and bilateral meetings have been held which have discussed, among other things, the NESC report entitled Developmental Welfare State, the implications of the proposed longer-term framework for social partnership, the macro-economic context for the negotiations, the economic, environmental, infrastructural and social policy priorities within a new agreement, and the wider, non-pay issues and priorities, where the social partners have agreed that a longer-term perspective is appropriate for full implementation. We look forward to further progress in the new round of talks and hope that the overall negotiations will be successfully concluded at the earliest possible date.

The National Economic and Social Forum, NESF, was originally set up by the Government in 1993 for the purpose of widening the social partnership process and of achieving consensus on as wide a basis as possible on major economic and social policy issues. Since 1998, the forum's work has focused on evaluating the implementation of policies dealing with equality and social inclusion. The main tasks of the forum are as follows: to monitor and analyse the implementation of specific measures and programmes identified, especially those concerned with the achievement of equality and social inclusion; to do so through consideration of reports prepared by teams comprising the social partners, with appropriate expertise and representatives of relevant Departments and agencies and its own secretariat; to prepare reports to be published by the forum with such comments as may be considered appropriate; and to ensure that the teams compiling such reports take account of the experience of implementing bodies, customers and clients — including regional variations, in such experience. The forum may consider such policy issues on its own initiative or at the request of the Government.

The National Centre for Partnership and Performance was established by the Government and launched in October 2002. Its purpose is to support and drive change in the Irish workplace. It enables organisations in the private and public sectors to respond to change, to build capability and to improve performance through partnership. The NCPP's mission is to support and facilitate organisational change, based on partnership, to bring about improved performance and mutual gains. This contributes to national competitiveness, better public services, higher living standards, a better quality of work life and the development of the workplace of the future.

The centre will carry out this role by carrying out research, identifying past practice and developing new national strategies and new models for partnership in the workplace. These are the distinct bodies which will come together to operate as the National Economic and Social Development Office, NESDO. Their own roles are separate yet complementary, and this legislation will establish the new office as a means of supporting the three constituent bodies, promoting complementarity between them and providing administrative and logistical support on a cost effective basis. It will also act as the employer of staff, and so provide a better career structure for the secretariat of the three bodies.

I now propose to deal with the Bill and its provisions. The Bill deals with the practical arrangements for the establishment of the office and for the benefit of this House I would like to touch on some of its main features. Section 6 sets out the establishment of the office and refers to its constituent parts as including the NESC, the NESF and the NCPP. It also states that the office and each body established under this section and section 7 shall have all such powers as are necessary for, or incidental to, the performance of its functions under the Act.

Section 7 gives the Taoiseach the power, following consultations with the Minister for Finance and any other Minister he or she considers relevant, to establish by order such other bodies as he or she consider appropriate, to prepare advice and reports on any aspect of any matter relating to the functions of the office.

Section 8 states that the function of the office shall be to advise the Taoiseach on all strategic matters relevant to economic and social development in the State. This fits in naturally with the individual roles of the NESC, the NESF and the NCPP as set out in their own terms of reference.

Sections 9, 10 and 11 set out the functions of the council, the forum and the centre, respectively. The functions of the council shall be to analyse and report to the Taoiseach on strategic issues relating to the efficient development of the economy, the achievement of social justice, the development of a strategic framework for the conduct of relations and the negotiation of agreements between the Government and the social partners.

The functions of the forum shall be to advise the Taoiseach on policies to achieve greater equality and social inclusion, and such other matters as may be specified by the Taoiseach in the context of social partnership arrangements, by analysing, monitoring and evaluating relevant programmes and policies.

The functions of the centre shall be to support and facilitate organisational change and innovation based on partnership in order to bring about improved performance and mutual gains, and to contribute to national competitiveness, better public services, higher living standards, a better quality of life and the development of the workplace of the future.

Section 13 sets out the composition of the office as being the chairperson and deputy chairperson of the council, the forum and the centre. Sections 14, 15 and 16 explain the nominating procedures for the ordinary membership of each of the bodies. In all cases the members shall be appointed by the Taoiseach. Section 17 gives the Taoiseach the power to alter by order the composition of the council, forum or centre.

Section 18 sets out the term of office of both the chairperson and of an ordinary member of a body, and the conditions under which they both will hold office. This section also calls for an equitable balance to be achieved between men and women in the composition of a body. Section 20 outlines the conditions which apply to a member of the council, the forum, the centre or a member of staff of the bodies when they are nominated or elected to the membership of either House of the Oireachtas or European Parliament, and thereupon cease to be a member of the particular body.

Sections 21, 22 and 23 relate to the establishment of committees and how they will function, the disclosure by members of the office, the three bodies and staff of interests, and the prohibition on the disclosure of confidential information. Section 24 deals with the role of the chief officer of the office and indicates the duties assigned to him or her, the method of his or her appointment and removal by the Taoiseach, and other conditions which apply to the post. Section 25 deals with the directors of the bodies and outlines their functions, as well as the conditions and term of office.

Section 26 is concerned with the staff of the office and how such staff are to be recruited. This will require consultation between the office and the director of the body concerned and must have the consent of the Taoiseach and the Minister for Finance. It also deals with the removal of any officer or employee who fails to perform his or her functions satisfactorily.

Sections 29, 31 and 32 cover the financial arrangements in regard to the office and, in particular, the advancing to the office of moneys provided by the Oireachtas, the keeping of accounts and the conditions which apply to their submission to the Comptroller and Auditor General. Section 31 relates to the giving of evidence by the chief officer to the Dáil committee established to examine and report to Dáil Éireann on the appropriate accounts and reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

The office shall be required under section 33 to prepare a strategic plan for approval by the Taoiseach not later than six months after the establishment day of the office and every three years from the submission of the first statement. Once approved, a copy of the plan will be laid before each House of the Oireachtas. Section 34 requires the office to make a report to the Taoiseach at the end of the financial year and the Taoiseach shall cause copies of the report to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.

Section 35 allows the Taoiseach the right to dissolve the council, the forum, the centre and any body established under section 7, following consultation with the office and any Minister who has representation on the body. The office will be included in the First Schedule to the Freedom of Information Act 1997 and will thereby be covered by its provisions. This is set out in section 36.

The remaining sections are concerned with the dissolution of the non-statutory bodies on the establishment day of the new office, the transfer of rights and liabilities of the dissolved bodies, the drawing up of the accounts of the dissolved bodies and, of particular importance to the staff of the bodies, the conditions which apply to their transfer to the new statutory bodies.

The Bill will put in place the structures referred to in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness by combining the NCPP alongside the NESC and the NESF to ensure that their complementary roles are acknowledged and developed to support the economic and social fabric of our society. I am confident that the new office will achieve this and I wish it well in this important work.

I appreciate that much of my contribution is mundane and unexciting. However, as someone who is a former Minister of State with responsibility for labour affairs and who serves with a Taoiseach who held the labour portfolio, I commend everyone involved in this work. I used the word "partnership" frequently because Ireland is recognised as a country that promotes partnership and there is no better person than the Taoiseach in this regard. Everybody is aware of the time and energy he puts into the process and he is doing so again during the current round of talks on a new agreement.

Ireland is the envy of many countries, particularly in Europe. They constantly refer to the success and advancement of the economy, which has come about primarily because of this process, and it is important to recognise that. The Taoiseach and all the social partners have demonstrated tremendous leadership within their organisations and representation has been widened. They have done significant work since the process commenced in 1987 to develop the economy for the benefit of the people. I commend the Bill to the House.