Ms Emma Reeves:

The benefits of the merger include a number of areas, one of which is efficiencies. As a fully integrated single entity, Táilte Éireann will be able to streamline its existing services and administrative and management functions into one entity, that is, one body with a single voted expenditure, one chief executive and one board.

The merger will also provide for a shared culture and ethos in one organisation, rather than in three separate organisations with divergent priorities and goals. In terms of optimising the land and property information, Ordnance Survey Ireland, OSI, the PRA and the Valuation Office, VO, together manage the most comprehensive set of property and spatial data in Ireland. Combining all three will allow us to optimise those benefits for the continuing economic and social development. Tailte Éireann will be a data driven organisation in order that it is best placed to influence the future development of geospatial initiatives within the public sector data strategy.

The Deputy asked about efficiencies in savings. There will be some savings emerging from the fact that there be a single board with fewer members, compared to the current governing boards of OSI and the Property Registration Authority. There will be some savings in the short term. As we look to the future, in the longer term there will be future efficiencies and synergies, perhaps in operational areas, and through the exploitation of the combined data sets.

The board would be appointed through the Public Appointment Service, PAS, and the State boards section. Gender balance is definitely something that will be taken into consideration in all board appointments.