Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Question 230: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the cost of the National Competitiveness Council in salaries of Forfás staff and the staff of other Departments who service the council, of imputed office rental, printing, travel and subsistence, promotional and any other costs pertaining to the work of the council for the year 2004; if he will provide an estimate of costs for 2005 and the basis for this calculation; the full-time equivalent numbers of all public servants, by Department or State agency, who undertake work in any capacity for the National Competitiveness Council; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39388/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The National Competitiveness Council was established in 1997 in the framework of the national partnership process. Its reports are an important contribution to the development of policies that help sustain economic competitiveness, growth and employment.

The council's essential administrative and research supports are provided by Forfás through its annual Vote from my Department. Given the relatively small nature of the council's operations, and particularly the fact that many of its indirect spending expenses are shared with Forfás, and that its work volume can fluctuate from time to time, it is possible only to give a very broad estimate of its cost, which is as follows:

Jack Wall (Kildare South, Labour)
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Question 231: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the agencies or bodies his Department provides funding to or is administratively responsible for, and those agencies and bodies that his Department is responsible for in respect of Government policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39417/05]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The bodies and agencies which my Department both funds and staffs are: the Companies Registration Office; the Registry of Friendly Societies; the Labour Court; the Labour Relations Commission; the Employment Appeals Tribunal; the Patents Office; the Office of the Director of Consumer Affairs; and the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement.

In addition, the following are the statutorily independent agencies and bodies coming under the aegis of my Department regarding which I retain policy responsibility although I am not responsible for their day-to-day operational activities: Forfás, IDA Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, Shannon Development, FÁS, the Health and Safety Authority, the National Standards Authority of Ireland, city and county enterprise boards, the Competition Authority, InterTrade Ireland, the Personal Injuries Assessment Board, Science Foundation Ireland, and the Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority, which will be established, under statute, in early January 2006.