Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 88: To ask the Minister for Finance if he will provide an update on the implementation of the Croke Park Public Service Agreement; the savings that have been agreed to date; the savings foreseen for 2011 as a whole under the agreement; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1395/11]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Public Service Agreement (Croke Park Agreement) provides a sustainable framework to manage the provision and delivery of our essential public services in a period of unprecedented pressure on public resources. In this regard, the Exchequer Pay Bill will be approximately 8% less in 2010 over 2009 while the number of public servants has reduced by almost 12,000 since March 09, resulting in significant savings in the public service paybill. Further savings targets for 2011 of €310m, and a reduction in numbers to 301,000 as set out in the Budget Estimates, now form part of the allocation for each Department and Agency over the coming year. The delivery of the required savings, including payroll savings, will be monitored closely, including by reference to the implementation of the Croke Park Agreement.

The Implementation Body for the Agreement requested the various sectors in December last to revise their Action Plans to take account of the targets in the National Recovery Plan and the allocations made under Budget 2011. These revised plans are due to be submitted this week. The Implementation Body will be seeking to ensure that the plans deliver the necessary savings and efficiencies to meet the Government's requirements under the National Recovery Plan. The initial assessment of the sustainable savings made under the Agreement will be made by that Body under the review which is due to take place this Spring under the terms of the Agreement.