Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 516: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of State agencies in his Department which were abolished or merged since in 2011; the name and purpose of each one; the amount saved by the merger or abolition; the number planned to be merged or abolished in 2012; the name and purpose of each one; the amount expected to be saved from this; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21595/12]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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During 2011, the following State bodies under the aegis of the Department of Justice and Equality were abolished:

The Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) was dissolved on 31 March 2011. This body was set up to monitor and report on paramilitary activity across Ireland and also to monitor the security normalisation measures undertaken by the British Government in Northern Ireland.

The Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IMCD) was dissolved on 31 March 2011. This body was responsible for overseeing the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons. It was established by an agreement between the Irish and British Governments, signed on 26 August 1997, and by legislation enacted in both jurisdictions.

The Prisons Authority (Interim) Board was abolished as a result of a Government decision taken on 26 July 2011. This Board was established in 1998. In line with its policy to abolish agency boards, where appropriate, and make agency managers more directly accountable to Ministers, and on foot of its commitment to more effective financial scrutiny in the Programme for National Recovery, the Government saw no case for the continued existence of this Board.

The radical streamlining of State bodies is a key deliverable of the Public Service Reform Plan, which was published in November 2011. This streamlining includes the rationalisation of 48 bodies by the end of 2012, as well as the critical review of a further 46 bodies to take place by the end of June 2012. Details of the bodies involved are set out in Appendices IIa and IIb of the Plan which can be found at: http://reformplan.per.gov.ie/files/2012/01/Public-Service-Reform-28112011.pdf

While these rationalisations will deliver savings to the taxpayer, the real benefits lie in the simplification of the administrative landscape, thereby ensuring greater accountability, less duplication of effort and more transparent lines of responsibility of public servants. It is not possible at this time to specify anticipated savings on an individual State body basis. The Public Service Reform Plan indicated that across the public service as a whole, savings of 20 million euro in enhanced service efficiencies and value-for-money are envisaged from the rationalisation programme.

With regard to State bodies under the aegis of the Department of Justice and Equality, the bodies which are to be rationalised, amalgamated or abolished during 2012 are:

Equality Tribunal (Rationalise the industrial relation / employee rights institutions – Labour Court, Labour Relations Commission, Employee Appeals Tribunal, National Employment Rights Authority, and Equality Tribunal into single agency). The purpose of the Equality Tribunal is to deal with all complaints of discrimination in employment and access to goods and services under the terms of equality legislation.

Equality Authority, Human Rights Commission (Merge to form new Human Rights and Equality Commission). The purpose of the Equality Authority is to ensure that all people in the country are treated equally and to ensure that discrimination on certain grounds does not occur. The Authority provides information to the public on the equality legislation and it can, at its discretion, provide legal assistance to people who wish to bring claims of unlawful discrimination. The Irish Human Rights Commission works to promote and protect human rights in Ireland.

The merger of the Equality Authority and the Irish Human Rights Commission will create a new and enhanced Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission. It will lead to strengthened institutional arrangements to protect and promote human rights and equality in the State. Last October, I established a Working Group to advise me on practical arrangements in that regard, including on matters relating to the legislation that will be necessary to effect the merger. The Working Group reported and its report was published on 20 April. I intend to bring my proposals for legislation in this matter to Government shortly. While there will be savings, estimated as being in the region of €500,000, on administrative costs due to the merger, regard has to be had to the disproportionate cuts suffered by these two bodies in previous years in deciding how such savings will be applied in 2013 and subsequent years.

With regard to State bodies under the aegis of the Department of Justice and Equality, the bodies which are subject to critical review in 2012 are:

Property Services Regulatory Authority (Merge with the Private Residential Tenancies Board). The purpose of the Property Services Regulatory Authority is to set and enforce standards in the provision of property services by auctioneers, letting agents and property management agents.

Reception and Integration Agency, Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner & Refugee Appeals Tribunal (Rationalise various Refugee structures). The purpose of the Reception and Integration Agency is to accommodate asylum seekers in RIA accommodation centres while their applications for asylum are processed and to coordinate the provision of services to asylum seekers in RIA accommodation. The purpose of the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner is to investigate applications from persons seeking a declaration for refugee status and to issue appropriate recommendations to the Minister for Justice and Equality. The purpose of the Refugee Appeals Tribunal is to decide appeals of those asylum seekers whose applications for refugee status has not been recommended by the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner.

Property Registration Authority (Merge the Valuation Office, Ordnance Survey Ireland and the Property Registration Authority). The purpose of the Property Registration Authority is to act as the registering authority in relation to property registration in Ireland.

Office of the Data Protection Commissioner (Amalgamate Office of the Data Protection Commissioner with the Office of the Ombudsman). The purpose of the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner is to protect the individual's right to privacy by enabling people to know, and to exercise control over how their personal information is used, in accordance with the Data Protection Acts, 1988 and 2001.

Prison Visiting Committees (Reduce or merge Visiting Committees as there is now a Prisons Inspectorate). A prison visiting committee is appointed to each prison and the committee's function is to visit, at frequent intervals, the prison to which it is appointed and hear any complaints which may be made to them by any prisoner.

Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests (Subsume Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests into proposed Office of the Charities Regulator). The purpose of the Commissioners is to provide a variety of services to charities of a judicial or quasi-judicial nature in accordance with legislation governing charities.

Forensic Science Laboratory (Merge Forensic Science Laboratory into State Laboratory). The purpose of the Forensic Science Laboratory is to provide high quality scientific analysis and assistance to agencies involved in criminal investigation, mainly An Garda Síochána.