Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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188. To ask the Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection the number of Ministers of State attached to her Department; the responsibilities of each; if designated powers have been signed by her and assigned to the relevant Ministers of State; the date on which each designation was signed; the reason in circumstances in which no such designation has been made, this has not occurred; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [40798/17]

Regina Doherty (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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The Government’s authority to delegate powers and duties to Ministers of State is contained in section 2 of the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) (No. 2) Act 1977.

On 14 June 2017 Minister Finian McGrath T.D. was reappointed Minister of State at the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Justice and Equality and the Department of Health with special responsibility for disability issues. The delegation of Minister McGrath’s statutory functions in relation to my Department was effected by way of the Social Protection (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2017 (S.I. 321 of 2017) which was signed by an Taoiseach on 18 July 2017.

On 20 June 2017 Minister Pat Breen T.D. was appointed Minister of State at the Department of Enterprise and Innovation, the Department of Employment and Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Department of the Taoiseach, and the Department of Justice and Equality with special responsibility for trade, employment, business, EU digital single market and data protection. The preparation of a delegation order for Minister Breen is currently being considered.