Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 216: To ask the Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of State agencies identified for abolition or merger in his Department; the number of agencies which have been merged or abolished to date in his Department; the total net savings which have been made in respect of each State agency arising from its merger or abolition in his Department; the likely date for merger or abolition and the reason for the delay in respect of each State agency which has not already been merged with another State agency or abolished in his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3002/11]

Pat Carey (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
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As the Deputy is aware, the Report of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes presented a set of options to reduce expenditure and staff numbers across the public sector. These options included recommendations relating to the abolition or merger of certain State Agencies.

In terms of specific recommendations by the Special Group, one key recommendation was predicated on the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs being dissolved and its functions transferred to other Departments. Other recommendations related to the abolition or transfer between Departments of specified functions. In this regard, the Deputy will be aware that, as part of the restructuring of Departments and agencies announced in March last by the Taoiseach to ensure greater coherence and produce more efficient delivery, my Department has taken over responsibility for (i) social inclusion policy and family policy from the Department of Social Protection and (ii) equality, disability, integration and human rights from the Department of Justice and Law Reform.

In relation to other recommendations by the Special Group, it may be noted that · A proposed Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill, which is anticipated to

be published shortly, will provide, inter alia, for the dissolution of the

Dormant Accounts Board. · Options regarding the future of the Western Development Commission

remain under consideration in the context of the ongoing general review

of enterprise structures. · Options in relation to the future functions of the Family Support Agency

are also under review. · Proposals relating to the reallocation of some functions of the Equality

Tribunal will fall to be considered in the context of the review of the

equality and human rights bodies currently under way. · The future role and functions of Údarás na Gaeltachta are under

consideration in the context of the recently published 20 Year Strategy for

the Irish Language. Substantive discussions will be taking place shortly

with Údarás na Gaeltachta regarding these matters and I hope to be able

to bring initial proposals for amending legislation to Government in the

coming weeks.

In relation to bodies/agencies within my Department's remit that have

already been abolished or merged, the Deputy may wish to note that in

recent years: · Arramara Teoranta, a commercial State body founded to utilise the large

resource of seaweed along the west coast of Ireland, became a wholly-

owned subsidiary of Údarás na Gaeltachta; · Bord na Leabhar Gaeilge, the former State Board established to promote

writing and publishing in the Irish language, was abolished and its

functions and funding transferred to Foras na Gaeilge; and · the National Drugs Strategy Team was abolished in the context of the

National Drugs Strategy 2009–2016 and its work subsumed into my

Department.