Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

The Deputy asked several questions. First, nothing is ruled in or out on foot of the OECD report. That is the answer to the question tabled. Deputy Bruton is correct that the answer given rather adroitly avoided dealing precisely with that issue.

I prefer to use the word "agencies" rather than "quangos". More than 800 such entities were identified in the report. There is certainly a need to review this number and the scope of their functions, with a view to reform. The Fine Gael Party published a document on this some time ago. I would appreciate if Deputy Bruton were to forward me a list of those bodies he considers should be curtailed, abolished or merged with other agencies. I will take his views into account.

Important considerations arise in regard to the traditional control the Department of Finance has raised over establishments in the public service. It is my considered view that the Department must control the size of those establishments, because that control is an essential weapon in maintaining the control over current expenditure which Deputy Bruton often extols. There is undoubtedly a difficulty in that the requirements on agencies have been more relaxed than those on line Departments, with the result that the latter have sometimes found it difficult to recruit.

See this speech in context