Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

In line with the public service reform plan, I have organised and reconfigured resources within my Department to establish the national shared service office. The office is responsible for delivering shared services projects in the Civil Service and for the operation of Civil Service shared service centres. As one of the key priorities set out in the public service reform plan, I established the Office of Government Procurement in July 2013.

The Government, as part of the sale of the lottery licence and as set out in the National Lottery Act 2013, established the Office of the Regulator of the National Lottery, which is under the remit of this Department. The overarching function of the regulator is to ensure that the national lottery is run with all due propriety, the interests of participants in the lottery are protected, and the long-term sustainability of the lottery is safeguarded. Subject to this, an additional function is to ensure that revenue for good causes is maximised.

As I have stated previously, State agencies play an important and legitimate part in implementing and advising on Government policy and delivering public services, including economic regulation, consumer protection, road safety, industrial relations and a host of other services in support of citizens and businesses. They are an established part of the modern state and will continue to feature prominently in the Irish administrative system. It is essential that this occur in a structured and coherent manner, that it not repeat the unplanned and sporadic growth of the past and that agencies' impact and performance be understood, reviewed and managed.

One element in the updated code of practice for governance of State bodies includes a periodic critical review ensuring that the ongoing business case for State bodies, including those newly established, will be subject to periodic scrutiny and assessment.

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