John McGuinness (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fianna Fail)
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Question 156: To ask the Taoiseach the number of bodies and agencies operated under the remit of his Department; the cost of each on a yearly basis; the name and number that have been abolished in the past four years; the name and number that have been amalgamated; the name of those to be abolished or amalgamated in 2010; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3220/10]

Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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Question 157: To ask the Taoiseach the number of staff employed in each agency that derives from his Department at the end of 2007, 2008, and 2009; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3215/10]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 156 and 157 together.

The National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) is the only agency currently under the aegis of my Department. It is an umbrella body for i) the National Economic and Social Council (NESC), ii) the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF), and iii) the National Centre for Partnership and Performance (NCPP). NESDO and its constituent bodies (the NESC, NESF and NCPP), have played an important role in the development of national policy and through support for the social partnership process. However, the profoundly changed national and international context which has emerged in the past eighteen months has thrown up challenges that must shape the role of the NESDO and its constituent bodies in the coming years.

In order to maximise both effectiveness and value for money, the Government has decided to streamline the work of policy advice within the NESDO by amalgamating the three constituent bodies through absorbing the NESF and NCPP into the NESC. In consequence of this, the NESF and the NCPP will be dissolved with effect from a date to be specified in an order which will be made shortly under the National Economic and Social Development Office Act 2006.

With these changes in mind the budget for NESDO in 2010 was reduced by 24% to €3,854,000 with potential for further administrative savings once the restructuring is implemented. The number of staff employed in NESDO and its constituent bodies in 2007 and 2008 was 23.8 whole-time equivalents (wte), while in 2009, 20.8 wte's were employed. Some further reductions in staff numbers are anticipated following implementation of the changes.

The work of the Ireland Newfoundland Partnership was subsumed into my Department in 2009. An amount of €300,000 was provided for the Partnership in the 2009 Estimates. It is expected that the cost of running the Partnership this year will be approximately €40,000.

The National Forum on Europe was closed in 2009. The Forum was an independent body, with its funding provided through my Department's vote. At the time of its closure, the Government indicated that it expected that the Oireachtas would resume the role of primary forum for national debate of issues related to Ireland's membership of the EU, pointing to the work of the Oireachtas Sub-Committee on Ireland's Future in Europe by way of example.