Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

226. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills the delegated responsibilities he has given to Ministers of State in his Department; when the order of delegated responsibility was signed; if he included his Ministers of State in direct discussions or meetings with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform as part of pre-budget discussions; if so, the dates of such meetings and the attendance at each meeting; if the Minister of State was not included, the reason this was the position in view of the designated responsibilities; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31913/16]

Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Under the Education and Skills (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2016 (S.I. No. 355/2016), the Government delegated to Mr. John Halligan TD, Minister of State at the Department of Education and Skills, the powers (other than the power to prosecute an offence) and duties of the Minister for Education and Skills, conferred on him by or under the Industrial Training Act 1967 (No. 5 of 1967), Section 7(1)(c)(i) of the Education Act 1998 (No. 51 of 1998), in so far as it relates to adult education, including educational disadvantage (within the meaning of section 32(9) of that Act) among adults Section 7(1)(c)(ii) of the Education Act 1998, in so far as it relates to transport services, National Training Fund Act 2000 (No. 41 of 2000), and the Further Education and Training Act 2013 (No. 25 of 2013) (other than section 6(2), sections 10 to 13 and section 23). The order was made on the 5 July 2016.

I had two formal bilateral meetings with the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in advance of the Budget, on 19 and 30 September. On both occasions I was accompanied by officials and a special adviser. The Minister of State at my Department was not in attendance as both meetings related to overall budgetary strategy for my Department, for which I have responsibility.