Dara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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Question 65: To ask the Minister for Finance if he plans to amalgamate State agencies; if so, the agencies involved; the potential savings to the Exchequer; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9696/11]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 171: To ask the Minister for Finance the number of State bodies he intends to abolish; the time line for achieving same; if a provisional list of State bodies to be abolished has been drawn up; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5907/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 65 and 171 together.

The Government is committed to reducing and rationalising the plethora of state bodies. In accordance with the Programme for Government we are now undertaking a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure of all aspects of public expenditure and in this context we will be critically examining all state bodies to see if there is, in fact, a continuing need for them. Where there is a rationale for maintaining a function, we will consider whether bodies can usefully be amalgamated or absorbed back into their parent Departments.

As well as giving rise to Exchequer savings in time, I would see these measures as forming part of the wider reform of the public service agenda because it is very important that there is proper accountability for public expenditure to this House.

In addition to these new measures there are also a number of amalgamations and rationalisations already under way which are set out in the table below.

Rationalisation of State Bodies currently in train

Department of Education and Skills

1. Amalgamation of the Further Education and Training Awards (FETAC), the Higher Education and Training Award Council (HETAC) and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI).

2. Rationalisation/reduction of the number of Vocational Education Committee's from 33 to 16.

Department of Enterprise Trade and Innovation

Merge Competition Authority & National Consumer Agency

Department of Environment

Formal Merger of Local Government Management Service Board & Local Government Computer Services Board into Local Government Services Board

Department of Finance

Formal Merger of Commission on Public Service Appointments with the Ombudsman Office.

Department of Health

1. Merge the National Council for Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery into An Bord Altranais .

2. Merge the following Bodies into Health and Social Care Professionals Council

- National Social Work Qualification Board

- Opticians Board

- Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council

3. Merger National Cancer Registry Board into the HSE.

Department of Tourism, Culture & Sport

1. Combine Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Crawford Art Gallery and the National Gallery of Ireland, while retaining their separate identities.

2. Merge the National Archives and the Irish Manuscripts Commission into the National Library.