Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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16. To ask the Taoiseach if will report on his interactions to date with the National Economic and Social Council, NESC; if he will further report on his plans for changes to the NESC; and his plans for the organisation's new priorities or instructions. [49174/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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A new National Economic and Social Council (NESC) was appointed in May. The Council has changed the way it works with fewer plenary meetings, greater use of working or project groups, and more structured engagements with key policy actors, interests, and commentators.

The NESC has played an important role over many decades in developing shared understanding between Government and other stakeholders on economic and social policy and, more recently, sustainable development.

Over the coming years, Ireland faces into a period of significant change both at home and abroad which will present some new and exceptional challenges. The Programme for Partnership Government specifically notes that there are policy challenges where long term thinking is required.

I expect the Council to continue to contribute to policy development, with a focus on the strategic and longer term view.

The Council published its most recent report on 25 October – “Moving Towards the Circular Economy in Ireland”.

The Council has also approved a work programme up to 2019 comprising three themes:

a) A Key Social Challenge: Low Work Intensity Households, Quality Tailored Services and Participation;

b) Climate Change: Governance of the Low-Carbon Transition;

c) Land Value, Land Use and Urban Development.

Work on each of these themes is progressing and will be reviewed at the forthcoming Council meetings.

As is normal practice, I will submit the Council’s reports to Government for information before they are published.