Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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369. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the protocols in place, since March 2011, to set standards in parliamentary replies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23493/15]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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370. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he is satisfied that Parliamentary Questions are adequately replied to within his Department; the steps he has taken, since March 2011, to ensure Parliamentary Questions are fully responded to within his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [23509/15]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 369 and 370 together.

There is a strict process followed in my Department for the answering of PQs whereby PQs are initially assigned to line Divisions by the staff in my office, a reply is drafted by the Division providing all relevant material, cleared up through line management to Assistant Secretary level, and then to the Secretary General’s office and my office for final clearance. If the timeframe is inadequate for information to be compiled for an answer an undertaking is given to the Deputy in question to provide the information directly to him/her at the earliest opportunity.

I am happy that this process lends itself to ensuring that responses to PQs are of a high and consistent standard.