Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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Question 60: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment if she is considering the restructuring of her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11367/10]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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It is a matter in the first instance for An Taoiseach to determine the structures and functions of individual Departments of State. Ministers, when appointed to Departments of State, are then responsible for policy determination and the performance of the functions that are assigned to their Department. In that regard, my current policy priorities are centred on creating the right policy framework to assist the enterprise community create and maintain employment opportunities while supporting the unemployed back in to the workforce.

Specifically, we are continually working to ensure that we have the most appropriate policies to nurture both the indigenous and FDI sectors through current difficulties. We are also implementing a number of significant initiatives to assist the unemployed and continue to examine all options to do more on activation, training and re-skilling opportunities. More particularly, our current focus is on the areas of: · Reviewing enterprise development agency relationships and strategies in light of the current challenges facing their stakeholders – indeed we launched the new IDA Strategy just last week. · Updating our National Skills Strategy; · Finalising and promoting a new Trade and Investment Strategy; · Providing enhanced consumer and competition protections through the merger of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency; · Driving the Competitiveness and Green Jobs Agenda with Government colleagues; · Maintaining our SSTI investments to support the Smart Economy drive;

and

· Delivery of my Department's many T16 Employment Rights and Industrial Relations legislative commitments.

In support of policy implementation and monitoring, the Secretary General of the Department, under the Public Service Management Act 1997, is responsible for, among other things, both the strategic and day-to-day management of the Department. In that regard, I must emphasise that the Secretary General, supported by his Management Board, keeps the structures and assignment of personnel across the Department under regular review to ensure the Department continues to be fit for purpose.