Written answers

Tuesday, 24 May 2016

Department of An Taoiseach

Programme for Government

Photo of Barry CowenBarry Cowen (Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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60. To ask the Taoiseach the details of the new Department configurations proposed in the programme for Government. [11439/16]

Photo of Enda KennyEnda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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The Programme for a Partnership Government refers to the appointment of a Cabinet Minister for Housing and a new Cabinet level Minister for Regional Development and Rural Affairs. On 6 May, I nominated Heather Humphreys T.D. as Minister for Rural Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht and nominated Simon Coveney T.D. as Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government.

The new Department of Regional Development, Rural Affairs, Arts and the Gaeltacht will retain all of the functions of the former Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht. It will also be assigned responsibility for the roll-out of rural broadband and the development of the post office network. In addition, this new Department will be assigned responsibility for a range of rural community development functions including the Leader programme, an expanded town and village renewal scheme and the Tidy Towns scheme, the Western Development Commission, the implementation of the report of the Commission for the Economic Development of Rural Areas, the dormant accounts fund and social enterprise. The Department will also oversee the implementation of Programme for Government commitments to initiate a new Atlantic economic corridor and the development of new Community Development Schemes for rural areas. The new Minister will be supported in the broad remit of her responsibilities by three recently appointed Ministers of State for Regional Economic Development, for Communities and the National Drugs Strategy and for Gaeltacht Affairs and Natural Resources.

The appointment of a Minister for Housing, Planning and Local Government will provide political leadership on improving the supply of quality affordable homes for families and ending the homelessness crisis. He will be supported in this new Department by the recently appointed Minister of State for Housing and Urban Renewal.

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