Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 174: To ask the Minister for Transport if his Department has the capacity to monitor independently the output and services of the agencies under his Department; if he has the relevant expert staff available in his Department to access and report on the activities of all the transport agencies properly; the number of staff assigned to this task; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47313/08]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Transport his views on his Department's access to information held by agencies under his Department and on whether systems are adequate to retrieve and share information between his Department and its agencies. [47315/08]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for Transport if he is satisfied that his Department receives enough information from its agencies and State-owned transport companies to develop proper policy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47321/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 174, 175 and 181 together.

I believe my Department has a very good working relationship with its agencies and that arrangements for access to and sharing of information between the Department and its agencies are working well. However, in order to further enhance this relationship, I wrote to the Chairpersons of the State agencies under my remit last month announcing the introduction of a new approach to corporate governance. This new initiative is aimed at:

Providing a clearer mandate to each of our State agencies and enhancing my Department's monitoring of their performance;

Ensuring continuing compliance by agencies with the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies; and

Ensuring that more regular and structured engagement takes place at Ministerial and senior management level with all agencies, as a means of reviewing performance and ensuring that the Department's objectives are being met.

My Department has over 100 experienced officers working in those divisions that have a role in monitoring our State agencies. In addition, my Department has its own in-house financial, legal and other specialist advisors who can be called upon for their expertise and advice as and when required.

I am satisfied, therefore, within the constraints imposed on my Department by Public Service pay and personnel policy that it is as effectively accessing, monitoring and reporting on the activities of the agencies under its remit.