Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 421: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has quantified the percentage savings that can be made in relation to duplication and administration in the system as it relates to agriculture; if that will be factored into the 2012 budget; if not the reason for same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28753/11]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Since 2005 my Department has been engaged in a major change management programme, including re-organisation at all levels, facilitated by changes in the way schemes are managed, reductions in disease levels, and the advanced use of information technology. As a result the Department has been able to reduce its staffing level from 4,800 to 3,600, a reduction of 25%. The cost of running the Department has fallen substantially since 2008, by some €60million or approximately 20%.

My Department submitted its 'Action Plan' under the Public Service (Croke Park) Agreement earlier this year. In early May, the Department submitted its first progress report on the implementation of that Action Plan. The report outlines the significant progress made by the Department, including the re-organisation programme, the large reductions in staffing levels and improvement of its business processes, including major changes to the local office network. The report shows a reduction of 173 staff and total administrative savings of nearly €14 million (including non-pay savings of over €4.7 million) in the year to the end of March 2011, the reporting period for the Agreement.

The re-organisation of the Department's local office network involves the closure of 42 of the Department's local offices and the retention of 16 regional offices, which will provide an enhanced service to the Department's customers. When fully implemented, the savings will amount to some €30 million annually and a reduction of 400 staff.

Both the Action Plan and the Progress Report are published in full on my Department's website (please see 2011 Publications) and give comprehensive details of both the pay and non-pay savings to be achieved over the period of the Agreement to 2014. We will shortly report on the six months to the end of September and that will also be made available on the website.