Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)

The recommendations in the special group report, the McCarthy report, have been taken into account in the budget negotiations for 2010 for the justice sector. The proposed savings in the report in respect of the sector were €136.4 million. In monetary terms, a significant proportion of the recommendations - €84 million - related to reductions in payroll costs on items such as allowances payable to members of the Garda and the Prison Service.

In common with all Departments, there will be reductions in payroll-related provision in 2010 to take account of the reductions in payroll rates. Final figures in this respect for the justice sector will be published in the REV early next year. In addition to these payroll reductions, the budgets in a number of programme subheads have also been cut to deliver the savings required by Government. A number of these cuts are also in line with the recommendations of the McCarthy report. These amount to reductions of €6.92 million across a range of subheads, which include gender mainstreaming, graffiti removal operations, equality monitoring consultative committees, the European refugee fund and refugee integration. The McCarthy report recommended a total reduction of €5 million in respect of these items.

As the Deputy will be aware, further recommendations were made by the McCarthy report on structural reform and rationalisation across the justice and equality sector. Decisions in respect of many of these recommendations will be a matter for decision by Government in due course and expenditure reductions that may arise will be included in the budget for the sector in future years. In addition, for the sake of completeness, arising from administrative savings efficiencies, including a sector-wide approach to procurement, across the Vote group, savings of €10 million will be realised this year, including €3 million saved on foot of an 8% reduction in the cost of fees, goods and services in the sector. These will be incorporated into baseline budgetary figures for administrative subheads in subsequent years. I also indicated in my budget statement that I will introduce a new system of means testing for applications for criminal legal aid. This proposal is also in line with the McCarthy report recommendations.

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