Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)

As the Deputy will be aware, the Government announced a series of rationalisation measures in its public service reform plan on 17 November 2011 and a number of amalgamations, mergers and critical reviews of bodies funded from my Department's Vote group are currently being progressed, as required under that plan. Four bodies funded from my Department's Vote group were listed in Appendix IIb of the public service reform plan for critical review, namely, the Chester Beatty Library, Culture Ireland, the Heritage Council and the Placenames Commission. In the context of furthering these critical reviews, my Department has met and consulted extensively with each of these bodies and also has consulted with a range of stakeholders. I should say that in the overall context of the public service reform agenda, one of my key concerns is to ensure that all options are examined in order that the most appropriate implementation approach can be adopted for each institution.

As for the four bodies listed for critical review in the Government's reform plan, I have now submitted proposals and recommendations to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in this regard. These are being examined by his Department at present and I anticipate the Minister will bring a memorandum to the Government on these matters in due course. In this context, the Deputy will, of course, appreciate that I am not in a position to provide specific details on proposals and recommendations regarding the critical reviews at this time, pending their consideration by the Government.

Furthermore, I also have sent my proposed approach on implementation of the Government decisions on the amalgamation, merger and restructuring of various national cultural institutions and other bodies to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. As this also will be subject to consideration by the Government, I am not in a position at this juncture to go into the matter in any detail. I was, of course, able to give the House an insight into my overall thinking on these matters as they relate to the national cultural institutions during the Private Members' debate three weeks ago.

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