Pat Gallagher (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)

The amendment refers to political accountability. As Senator Paddy Burke has pointed out, the issue has arisen in respect of many other bodies, such as An Post or the HSE, where the respective Ministers are politically responsible for their activities. In this case, the Department of Transport is responsible for the National Roads Authority and the Road Safety Authority. The Minister has political accountability and regularly answers questions on matters of policy relating to those bodies, as well as on any other matters for which we have statutory responsibility. Specific questions are a matter for the National Roads Authority, NRA, the Road Safety Authority, RSA, or the proposed Dublin transport authority.

We set out the policy in respect of roads in the national development plan and, more specifically, Transport 21. Detailed implementation of that policy is a matter for the Road Safety Authority or the National Roads Authority. In his or her role as the appointing authority for the boards of these bodies, the Minister of the day is also accountable for their general performance.

Under the public service modernisation programme, which predates the current Government, it has been the practice to clarify the roles, responsibilities and accountability of Ministers, civil servants and public agencies. The Public Service Management Act clearly distinguishes between the respective roles of Minister and, for example, Secretary General. The proposed amendment would turn back the clock to a time when organisations similar to the NRA and RSA were part of Civil Service Departments and had no scope to take independent technical and professional decisions.

I appreciate the issue raised by Senator Paddy Burke. When I entered the Houses, one tabled questions regarding when a specific road might be approved, when a telephone might be installed, etc. However, the position has changed now. I assure the House that I will ask the various agencies to ensure queries from Members of the Oireachtas are responded to within a reasonable timeframe. Heretofore, if a question was submitted in writing to the Minister of the day, it would be answered within a number of days. Under the old system, and depending on the number of questions tabled for oral reply, a Minister could be expected to answer questions in the House for weeks on end and, consequently, it took much longer to obtain replies. I hope there is a balance between that system, which was in place in the 1980s, and that which obtains now.

All the relevant agencies are anxious to ensure that questions tabled to them or representations made to them will be responded to within a reasonable period. I will be raising this matter with the Minister, Deputy Cullen, and the various agencies at our next meeting. If I were to accept this amendment, I would be obliged to go beyond matters relating to the NRA, the RSA and the Dublin transport authority. The system in place came about on foot of a major policy decision that has been supported by successive Governments since we departed from the old regime. I regret that I am not in a position to accept the amendment.