Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein)
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Question 63: To ask the Minister for Finance the date he will publish the Ministers Secretaries (Amendment) Bill which will provide for the establishment of a Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; the location of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform; the number of staff that will be allocated to the Department; and the number of advisers for same. [10796/11]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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My intention is that Minister, Deputy Howlin, and I will present the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill for consideration by the Government at its meeting next Tuesday 17 May, with a view to publishing it as soon as possible thereafter. Staff of both the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will continue to work in their existing locations in Government Buildings in the Merrion Street/Merrion Row campus in addition to Lansdowne Road and Tullamore.

In regard to policy areas, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will be comprised of staff currently allocated to the Sectoral Policy and Public Service Management Development Divisions of my Department together with the staff of the Modernisation Unit of the Department of the Taoiseach who have redeployed to my Department. After the changes, my Department will consist of policy areas within the Financial Services and Budget, Taxation & Economic Divisions. Areas such as Corporate Services Division (Human Resources and Facilities Management), Finance Unit, Salaries Section and the Press Office will continue to provide the same services to staff in both Departments on a shared-service basis. Similarly, services will be provided to both Departments by an IT Unit based in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The precise number of staff to be allocated to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is currently being finalised and assignments will be complete by the date of establishment. My colleague, the Minister, Deputy Howlin, has appointed one special advisor to date.