Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

I will deal with the last point first in terms of engagement with the process. I had hoped that there would be full engagement with the real challenges that we face as a country and a people. That is why I published the medium-term fiscal horizons for every Department over three years, so that people would know what is required in terms of reductions in expenditure. I also published all of the documentation relating to the comprehensive review of expenditure so all of the policy options that were submitted would be known. I was not overwhelmed by the analysis done by the Deputies opposite in terms of the options that should be taken, but so be it. That is fine. The Government will have to make decisions on the path to recovery.

Regarding the first question the Deputy asked about numbers, she is correct that, as of this minute, there are approximately 292,000 public servants, which is a reduction of 28,000 on peak. The target we have set for 2014 is 282,500, which means a reduction of in or around 10,000. Obviously, natural retirements will remove a good number of people from the service but our estimate is that this will not be sufficient. That is why we are introducing a targeted redundancy package, to supplement the natural retirements, as well as those leaving the service for other reasons.

In terms of the general thrust, we are delivering public services differently. That is what the whole reform agenda is about. Different skills mixes, different working arrangements, different rostering and so forth, are enabling us to achieve more with less. That is what everybody is trying to do in this economy to make it more efficient. The public service has responded extraordinarily well to that real challenge.

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