Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 69: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if his Department will complete an efficiency review and audit of all State agencies and bodies under the responsibility of his Department; if he has plans to merge or abolish any State agencies or bodies; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20596/08]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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In his 2008 budget speech of 5 December 2007, the Minister for Finance announced that the Government had agreed to an efficiency review of all administrative spending across the entire public service. Under this review, my Department was required to examine all its administrative spending and that of the agencies under its aegis and report to the Department of Finance on the outcome. Departments were asked to pay particular attention in their reviews to inefficiencies which might arise due to the multiplicity of boards and agencies, the scope for efficient sharing of certain services and the scope for efficiencies in management, travel and consumables in general. The review was specifically precluded from identifying measures which would jeopardise the maintenance of front line services.

The Department established an efficiency review group to conduct the review. It examined the Department's spending from its administrative budget on back-office services which incorporate the finance unit, the human resources unit and the IT unit and front line services which, in the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism, comprise the capital grant programmes in the sports and arts areas. A review was carried out within each of the agencies under the aegis of the Department along the same lines as that carried out in the Department. These reviews also examined both the front and back-end services. The report of the review was sent to the Department of Finance earlier this year. My understanding is that the Department of Finance is reviewing the report for my Department and for all other Departments and it is anticipated that the outcome of the review will have a bearing on the 2009 Estimates.

There are a number of agencies in each of the areas of arts, sport and tourism which are under the aegis of my Department, all of whom are making a significant contribution to the implementation of Government policies in their sectoral area. I have no plans to merge or abolish any of these agencies.

Olivia Mitchell (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I am sure the Minister is aware that a number of the bodies under his remit came up for consideration by the Comptroller and Auditor General so it is essential that not only are the various agencies under the aegis of the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism audited and reviewed, but also that changes take place as a result of those reviews and that there are improvements in governance as a result of any review that takes place. Bord na gCon is one of the bodies coming up for consideration this coming week but it is only one of a number of bodies.

In respect of the intention to abolish bodies, I do not want to cut across any of my colleagues but it seems that the Minister has very little to do in his Department, that everything is being done by bodies and that all he has to do is give out national lottery money. The reality is that there is a rash of bodies looking after tourism. At every level, simply meeting and talking to one another and reading each other's reports must be a hugely inefficient way to do business. I am sure there are very valid historical and regional reasons for the rash of bodies administering tourism but it seems that the Minister should give some thought to rationalising the number of bodies in this area. Is this the intention?

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Due to the fact that there is a plethora of organisations and State bodies responsible to the Minister, when we put down parliamentary questions in respect of arts, sport and tourism, I could paper the walls of my office with the number of rejections I get in respect of the question not being appropriate and a matter for, for example, Fáilte Ireland.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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Hear, hear.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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In other words, they are not accountable to this House. Will the Minister comment on that and how they can be made accountable?

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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All of the bodies are accountable to the various Ministers in the Department who are accountable to the Dáil. This afternoon, I have given a very full and frank explanation of all of the different bodies in place. Interestingly, we had a discussion earlier where I made the point that I was not minded to create new agencies and add to the myriad agencies we have and I do not intend to do that during my time in the Department.

There may well be an opportunity to look at closer co-operation between various agencies under the different aspects within the Department, be they tourism, sport and arts. This review is being completed by the Department of Finance. We have submitted all of the relevant information to it. As we go forward, we will look at all of those issues. I certainly want to ensure that the agencies are giving the full value for every euro they get on behalf of the taxpayer and I will continue to do so.