Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)

My Department has to play its part in achieving the overall expenditure reductions required by the National Recovery Plan 2011-14. I was making the point that a large portion of the budgets of the offices under the group of Votes for which I have responsibility are administrative in character and, quite properly, have been taking reductions. They are making a contribution as one might expect the Taoiseach's office to do in giving a leadership role in that respect. Whatever has been sought has been delivered on.

The delivery of front line services to the public will not be affected as a result of the introduction of the cost saving measures. An action plan is in place to achieve that and to use the redeployment mechanism that is available where there are critical service pressures. We have been able to contribute in that regard, with some 35 staff members from the Department of the Taoiseach being moved elsewhere where that was considered helpful. The Department also continues to do the job it is expected to do. There is a further 15% cut this year within the Department, so that is giving a lead as one would expect.

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