Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 102: To ask the Minister for Transport the proposals which have been put forward under the efficiency review 2008 initiated on budget day 2008 by his Department and agencies operating under his Department; and the aggregate savings to be made by implementation of these savings in 2008 and in the full year for 2009. [26495/08]

Noel Dempsey (Meath West, Fianna Fail)
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The following proposals were included in my Department's report to the Department of Finance regarding the efficiency review of administrative expenditure:

1. Replacement of the current system for telecommunications with local authority motor tax offices (Eircom frame relay system) by use of spare capacity on the Government Virtual Private Network

2. Move to online entry of change of ownership information by approved motor dealers

3. Consolidation of Departmental headquarters accommodation from six buildings to three

4. Introduction of low value purchase cards to reduce invoice processing overheads

5. Review of mobile phone policy and practices

6. Review of road transport operator licensing fees in line with the consumer price index

7. Consolidation of IT hardware and measures to reduce paper use

8. Introduction of online application system for ship's radio licences, ship's radio operator certificates and electronic programmed indicating radio beacons

9. Review of merchant shipping fees in line with consumer price index

10. Full implementation of electronic requisitioning, invoice approval and revised budgetary systems

11. Miscellaneous minor cost-cutting measures

12. Targeted reductions in funding allocated for administrative costs in the Commission for Aviation Regulation, Dublin Transportation Office, National Roads Authority and Railway Procurement Agency.

Full implementation of all these measures, with the exception of item 8 which is now being considered as part of a wider project, is anticipated by 2010 with an estimated aggregate annual saving of approximately €2 million. Due to up-front implementation costs and the lead-in time on these proposals, no significant savings are expected to accrue in 2008. The aggregate savings estimated for 2009 are €1,326,000.