Coordination of State-sponsored bodies
Brennan asks for a Minister to coordinate policy across commercial State-sponsored bodies. The Taoiseach says he will not change ministerial responsibilities and points to existing coordination by the Finance Minister.
asked the Taoiseach if he will designate one of his Ministers to take overall responsibility for Government policy towards commercial State-sponsored bodies in view of the fact that they are now spread over nine Departments and have many common difficulties and features.
Comment on this
I do not propose to change the working relationship between Ministers responsible for policy and the commercial State-sponsored bodies responsible for executing it.
The existing position is that three Ministers, the Ministers for Finance, for Energy and for Communications have direct responsibility for the majority of commercial State-sponsored bodies.
There is also adequate provision for central co-ordination. The Minister for Finance has traditionally exercised co-ordinating responsibility in relation to commercial State-sponsored bodies in the areas of the terms and conditions of borrowing; the provision of exchequer finance by way of equity and loans, and the appraisal of investment proposals.
The Minister for Finance has also initiated the preparation and submission of corporate plans by commercial State-sponsored bodies. He will submit to the Government periodic reports on those plans and on the financial position of the bodies.
At present also proposals for improving the reports and accounts of both commercial and non-commercial State bodies are being finalised by the Department of Finance, after consultation with other Departments.
The Minister for Finance has, of course, overall responsibility for financial management in Government Departments and this extends to commercial State-sponsored bodies.
The Minister for the Public Service is responsible for policies on pay and related matters in relation to commercial State-sponsored bodies in the context of overall national incomes policy.
The Minister for the Public Service is also taking steps to improve the management processes in Government Departments. These improvements will cover all areas of Departments' activities including the activities concerned with the effectiveness and efficiency of commercial State-sponsored bodies.