Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

My Department's action plan under the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014 was submitted late last year to the Department of Finance and subsequently formed part of the overall Civil Service and State agency sector action plan. Specific actions in the action plan include a further reduction in staff numbers, reduced budgets, redeployment of staff, increased flexibility and better business processes. My Department has reduced its core staff numbers by more than 19% and total staff - core and contract - by 10% since January 2008. The reduction in staff numbers last year will give rise to a saving of more than €293,500 annually. Between 2007 and 2010, the total budget was reduced by 18.2%.

In the period 2011 to 2014, significant further reductions will be achieved. My Department is on course to achieve these savings, although once off payments have to be taken into account this year, including costs associated with the recent visits of Queen Elizabeth II and President Obama and severance payments to contract staff. Both the departmental action plan and the action plan for the Civil Service and State agency sector are available on my Department's website.

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