Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 564: To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the projected savings for each State agency to be rationalised as set out in the recent public service reform plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [4563/12]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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As required by Government, my Department submitted a comprehensive expenditure review to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform in 2011. The review, which is available on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform website, provides for cost reductions and a set of options to meet the funding constraints which are incorporated into Government's public service reform plan.

The expenditure review, among other things, indicated Exchequer cost reductions totalling €47 million between 2008 and 2011 over the five (5) non commercial State sponsored bodies under the aegis of the Department (Teagasc, Bord Bia, Marine Institute, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and the Sea Fisheries Protection Board). Arising from the ongoing budgetary situation, the total Exchequer allocation, for all five bodies, has been reduced by a further €6m for 2012. Additional Exchequer savings will arise over the coming years following the planned reduction in the total number of staff employed in the agencies from 1,685 at the end of 2011 to 1,393 by the end of 2015.

The issue of securing further cost reductions from greater operational efficiencies across each agency is ongoing. Over the last number of years the Department has been engaged in increasing the use of shared services between it and its state agencies, especially in the ICT area. The Department has just completed a major scoping exercise to identify further opportunities and will seek to make further progress in this area, especially in the context of the proposed shared service initiatives across the public service in payroll, pensions and HR. In addition, the Public Service Reform Plan which was published in 2011 provides for specific reviews of the National Milk Agency, the Irish Maritime Development Office and Bord Iascaigh Mhara. These reviews are being or will be undertaken by my Department.