White casts doubt on future of powerful economic committee

A senior Labour Party minister has said he has doubts over whether the Economic Management Council (EMC), the four member committee which sets economic policy, should be a long term fixture at top of Government.

Minister for Communications Alex White said it was correct to have he EMC - comprising Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tánaiste Joan Burton, Minister for Finance Michael Noonan and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin - in times of crisis, but is "not persuaded about its long term future".

Ms Burton, before taking over from Eamon Gilmore as Tánaiste, was repeatedly critical of the EMC and said it was secretive and missed the "big picture" on the economy.

During the contest to succeed Mr Gilmore as Labour leader, Ms Burton then indicated higher-spending Government departments should have a greater say on the elite economic committee.

Her spokesman defended the role of the EMC tonight but said individual departments could have a say on it when major policies in their areas were being discussed.

The spokesman pointed to the current talks on water charges, which have seen Mr White and Minister for Environment Alan Kelly attend the EMC, as an example.

However, speaking on RTÉ’s The Week in Politics, Mr White said “there is a point to be made in relation to the EMC in the long-term”.

"I would say it is right for the Cabinet to have sub-committees during a crisis, but whether the EMC should be a permanent fixture in our system I have some doubts I have to say," the Dublin South TD, who stood against Ms Burton for the Labour leadership, said.

“The discussion that is going on is clear-headed and I think there is a good analysis of the charges being done, but we do have Cabinet Government in this country.

“So ultimately, I’m not saying we ought not to have the EMC [BUT]in the long-term under our Constitution we have Cabinet Government but let’s see whether we should have something like the EMC; I’m not persuaded that it should be a long-term fixture.”

Speaking on the same programme, Fianna Fáil jobs spokesman Dara Calleary said Ms Burton was the last person from Labour to criticise the EMC, adding: "Now she is a member of the club and is a cheerleader for it."

The EMC is due to sign off on the final water charges package in the coming days, and it is expected to be unveiled early next week.

While there is some work to be done on the final figures, the broad thrust of the plan has emerged. This comprises a water charges cap until 2018 fixed around €300 for families of adult children, whose bills would be brought down around €200 when €100 water support packages are included, and a cap of around €200 for single adult households, which would be brought below €100 when the water support packages are factored in.

There has been discussion about using the assessed charge - €176 for the first adult in the home, and €102 for each additional adult - as the basis for the capped amounts. Coalition sources have said the €102 is unlikely to be levied on more than one additional adult.

Mr White says “there is an element of deliberation, serious thought and consideration going into these talks”.

“In fact the pressure we are being put under is to deliver it quickly; we are saying no, we need to go through it and do it properly and deliberate.”

He also said that suggestions of a referendum on maintaining water services in public ownership are “well intentioned” but he said he is unsure as to how such a referendum would work.