David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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Question 85: To ask the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation the number of delegation of ministerial functions orders in his Department; when these orders came into effect; the functions delegated under each order; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23770/10]

Batt O'Keeffe (Cork North West, Fianna Fail)
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As a result of the Government changes announced by An Taoiseach in March and my assuming the position of Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Innovation, the Delegation of Functions Orders in respect of three of the Ministers of State assigned to my Department lapsed. Upon taking up my new responsibilities, my first organisational priority was to oversee the transfer of various functions in the skills training and employment programmes & services areas from my Department to the Departments of Education and Skills and of Social Protection respectively, as well as the transfer in of functions in relation to the Programme of Research in Third Level Institutions (PRTLI) from the Department of Education and Skills. The necessary Government Orders to effect these transfers of responsibilities were made in recent weeks.

In addition, my Department has also been progressing the transfer of responsibility for the Redundancy and Insolvency Payments Schemes to the Department of Social Protection, and the necessary Government Order in these respects has also now been made. Further, the necessary Government Order to give effect to the renaming of my ministerial title and that of my Department to "Enterprise, Trade and Innovation" came into effect on 2nd May.

The final set of Orders required to be made relates to the delegation of legislative functions to my three Ministers of State and the necessary drafting work in that regard is currently ongoing within my Department. Our aim is to have those Orders drafted and presented to Government in June for approval. A notice will be published in Iris Oifigiúil, once the Orders have been signed. The three Orders will cover the functions of the Minister of State for Trade and Commerce, Billy Kelleher, T.D., the Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovation, Conor Lenihan, T.D., and the Minister of State for Labour Affairs, Dara Calleary, T.D.