Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 53: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Education and Skills the number of State agencies identified for abolition or merger in her Department; the number of agencies which have been merged or abolished to date in her Department; the total net savings which have been made in respect of each State agency arising from its merger or abolition in her 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 her Department; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [3004/11]

Mary Coughlan (Donegal South West, Fianna Fail)
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The following is the information requested by the Deputy. The Educational Disadvantage Committee was formally abolished in October 2008. If provision was to be made for the Committee's reconstitution it would be of the order of €100,000 per annum.

The National Adult Learning Council was formally disbanded in October 2008. While the Council had not met since 2003 and no expenditure had been incurred since that time it is estimated that to have proceeded as originally envisaged would have involved significant additional expenditure.

The Centre for Early Childhood Development and Education was closed in September 2008. Recurrent annual funding for the Centre was in the region of €1m.

As a result of a government decision taken in June 2009 agreeing to new arrangements to promote, regulate and co-ordinate the internationalisation of the Irish Education Services both the International Education Board of Ireland (IEBI) and the Advisory Council for English Language Schools (ACELS) ceased operations from December 2009. Improving the efficient provision of the services given by ACELS and IEBI was the primary objective of their rationalisation, rather than the achievement of cost savings. As savings achieved are likely to be offset to some extent by cost transfers to Enterprise Ireland and the HEA, the precise quantification of cost savings is not possible.

In January 2010 the Government approved the drafting of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill, which provides for the amalgamation of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), the Higher Education and Training Awards Council (HETAC) and the Further Education and Training Awards Council (FETAC). Preparation of the Bill is at an advanced stage and it is anticipated that it will be published during the current session. Allowing time for passage of the legislation and subsequent establishment, the amalgamation will take place in the second half of 2011.

As a result of a Government decision taken in October 2010, the number of VECs will reduce to 16. Discussions are ongoing with the relevant management and staffing interests in relation to the implementation of this decision and work has commenced with regard to the consideration of legislative changes. Precise savings are not known at this stage.