asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement indicating when he had meetings with the social partners since taking office; the topics discussed at each such meeting; and when he next plans to meet with any of the social partners.

Since taking office I, together with the Ministers for Finance, Agriculture and Food, Industry and Commerce, Energy and Communications, the Environment and Labour and the Minister of State for Food, as appropriate, have met representatives of ICTU on 15 and 29 April, of the Construction Industry Federation on 30 April, of the IFA, ICMSA, ICOS and Macra na Feirme on 7 May and of the FUE and CII on 14 May.

At these meetings we considered the consultative arrangements that should be established to enable the social partners to bring forward and discuss with Government their contributions to an integrated national programme for growth and economic recovery.

The topics discussed at the meetings ranged over the problems of the economy especially employment, tax reform, social services and incomes but also of the particular sectors especially industry, agriculture and construction.

A number of joint working parties are being established at official level with the social partners to prepare proposals for the programme for growth and economic recovery. These will be meeting over the coming weeks and reporting back to further meetings which my Government colleagues and I will have with representatives of the social partners.

In the course of the discussions with ICTU, were the questions of employment, pay and Government expenditure discussed and was it conveyed to them that present figures available on Government expenditure are likely to be altered as a result of the Taoiseach's circular letter to Ministers calling for further cuts in Government expenditure?

I will be answering a question about the specific discussions with ICTU later on.