Written answers

Wednesday, 17 December 2008

Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment

Departmental Agencies

8:00 pm

Photo of Joan BurtonJoan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
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Question 175: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment the agencies, bodies or authorities under the aegis of her Department that have been scheduled for merging, amalgamation, abolition or sharing of services as announced in budget 2009; the progress that has been made on the implementation of these organisational changes; the details of the implementation plan for these organisational changes; the cost savings that will arise from each of these organisational changes; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [47060/08]

Photo of Mary CoughlanMary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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In so far as the rationalisation of state bodies under the aegis of my Department is concerned, the recent budget statement included an announcement in relation to the merging of the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority. Since the budget announcement my Department has being working in conjunction with both bodies to bring about a smooth transition to a unified single body to oversee the area of competition and consumer protection.

As both the National Consumer Agency and the Competition Authority were established under statute, it will be necessary to give effect to the newly merged body by way of primary legislation. It is my intention to bring forward the necessary legislation to give effect to this merger as soon as possible. In so far as cost savings are concerned, whilst it is expected that the synergies arising from the merger of the two bodies will result in savings to the Exchequer, particularly in areas such as shared services, it is not possible to precisely quantify the amount of savings involved at this stage.

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