Michael McNamara (Clare, Labour)
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231. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport if he will provide a list of bodies under the aegis of his Department in respect of Government policy for which he is responsible for answering parliamentary questions pursuant to Standing Order 34. [7008/14]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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While I have overall responsibility for policy matters relating to Transport, Tourism and Sport, the agencies and state-owned enterprises (semi-states) themselves are responsible for those functions devolved to them by the Oireachtas through legislation.  North-South bodies such as Tourism Ireland were established pursuant to an international treaty and accountable to the North-South Ministerial Council of which I am member but are not accountable directly to me or to the Oireachtas or the Northern Ireland Assembly.

When I receive a question which is within the remit of an agency, I  forward it to that agency for direct response to the Deputy within ten working days.  This is a new initiative and is in stark contrast to previous practice where those questions were submitted for disallowance and the information not provided.  The agencies involved are:

Agencies under the Remit of the Department