Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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Question 280: To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the position regarding the Croke Park Agreement; if he has received implementation plans for this agreement from his Department and each State agency under his remit; the status of these implementation plans; the discussion he has had with the EU and IMF regarding the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29679/11]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, under the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014, detailed Implementation Plans have been developed across each sector of the public service to underpin the change and reform process envisaged by the Agreement. The Implementation Plans were first developed in October 2010 and subsequently revised in January 2011.

I should say that since the establishment of my Department on 2nd June 2011, my Department has prepared a new Public Service Agreement Implementation Plan, which it is in the process of forwarding to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This Implementation Plan reflects the actions and commitments made by the former Department of Tourism, Culture and Sport, the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs in their Implementation Plans in respect of the functions that transferred to my Department, as well as progress to date in implementing these. It also reflects new commitments and actions supportive of the change and reform process.

In relation to the bodies funded from my Department's Vote Group, the Deputy will be aware that these bodies were required to prepare their first detailed reports on the progress being made in implementing their Implementation Plans last May and this formed part of the first annual review of the Agreement undertaken by the Implementation Body. The second phase of progress reporting on the Agreement is underway at present and 6 monthly reports for these bodies and agencies are being compiled with a view to submitting updated progress reports to the Implementation Body during October. These sectoral reports will be examined by the Body and published on its website www.implementationbody.gov.ie.

The Deputy will appreciate that my colleagues, the Minister for Finance and the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, report directly to the EU and IMF on relevant matters regarding the Public Service Agreement.