Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising the issue. There was an almost five-year consultation process before the decision to reorganise and restructure CIS was taken. This is about reorganising governance and providing for more efficiencies, not about reducing services. There will be a smaller number of governance bodies, but the services will not change. Many organisations go through such reviews. It is not about reducing services but about making sure we have a better governance model, better decision-making and more consistency throughout the country in performance and delivery for clients and so on. I agree with the Deputy that CIS provides important services. I have witnessed how helpful, efficient and information staff can be. These are important services which we are not downgrading. We have implemented a series of recommendations following a long consultation process. When governance is changed in an organisation, some people will not be happy because it changes their role in the decision-making processes and so on. We are trying to provide better outcomes for people working in the CIB and those who rely on its work. I am told that a number of months ago there was a significant meeting in Kilmainham which was attended by 800 individuals in the CIB and that there was no evidence of demoralisation among staff and so on. It is important to give a clear signal that this is not about reducing services. The review is trying to improve services and make changes in the governance model in how management, decisions and governance happen within the CIB. While these aspects have reduced in scale, it is about better governance and delivery by the CIB which, by and large, does a good job.

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