Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The savings have been achieved by the non-filling of vacancies, the reduction of posts under the employment control framework and our ongoing streamlining of agencies, such as the workplace relations bodies, and the reform of the county enterprise boards. We have also sought to make use of ICT and other means of improving our capacity to reform in the context of declining numbers. The decline in numbers has been significant across the various agencies. Since 2007, the overall number has decreased by 16%. We have tried to spread the reductions to reflect priorities, such as by protecting the IDA from reductions in view of the work it is doing, but the consequence is a greater impact on other areas. Capital spending is predominantly demand led and our multi-annual programme reflects that. We meet our resource provision to the agencies based on demand and their commitments, which come to fruition over a series of years. It is not like a budget that can be spent in one year because this year's expenditure could reflect approvals made over a five year programme. We have been fortunate to protect our capital budgets at a time when other capital spending programmes have taken cuts of two thirds. We have retained our capital budgets in light of the Government's obvious priority of employment creation initiatives.

If members have specific questions I can answer them but, by and large, that has been our approach. The agencies have evolved and changed programmes in light of their reduced resources and manpower. An agency like Enterprise Ireland continuously considers the cost effectiveness of different elements of its work in order to remain within its budget while meeting its targets, whether in regulatory terms or in supporting enterprises. That is a bird's eye view of our operations and I can provide more details if members so wish.