Alan Kelly (Tipperary North, Labour)
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188. To ask the Taoiseach the list of all methods of communication his Department uses to discuss policy development. [33836/25]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
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Policy development is concerned with the enactment of Government priorities to deliver valued outcomes for the public through the provision of high-quality advice and a steadfast focus on implementation.

The development of policy derives in the first instance from the Programme for Government.

My Department supports the Cabinet Committee structure to provide for the discussion of key policies developed by individual Ministers. This process is supported, in turn, by Senior Officials' Groups, chaired by officials from the Department.

Communication and engagement is also structured formally through our social dialogue processes, such as the Labour Employment Economic Forum (LEEF) and the National Economic and Social Council (NESC) and other sectoral stakeholders we also engage frequently with.

The Department also arranges ad hoc events such as the Housing Summit and the Child Poverty Summit to open up dialogue on priority topics.

Officials in my Department network on an ongoing basis with colleagues regarding policy development projects. They actively participate and assist colleagues where there are cross-government aspects to be managed.

The main policy development work is completed in line Departments who undertake their own direct communications and public engagement sectorally through a variety of methods, including gov.ie. Their work is also supported centrally by the Government Information Service.