Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 249: To ask the Minister for Education and Skills 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. [21589/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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For the Deputy's information:

In March 2012 the Irish Research Council was established. This new Council is a merger of the Irish Research Council for the Humanities and Social Sciences (IRCHSS) and the Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology (IRCSET). This has resulted in a saving of €100,000 in salary costs.

Since September 2011, the National Centre for Technology in Education (NCTE) is within the remit of Dublin West Education Centre alongside the Department's largest support service, the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST).

In June 2011, the functions of the National Educational Welfare Board transferred to the newly established office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs.

The Deputy will be aware that there are a number of major structural reform projects that are being progressed in the Education sector. These are: 1) The establishment of the Qualifications and Quality Assurance Authority of Ireland which involves merger of the National Qualifications Authority, FETAC and HETAC. These amalgamating bodies have already made major savings in preparation for amalgamation. The purpose of the agency is in making awards in further and higher education, administering the National Framework of Qualifications and quality assuring education and training providers. The amount expected to be saved by the merger is in the region of €1 million annually. 2) The amalgamation of 33 Vocational Education Committees (VECs) / establishment of 16 Education and Training Boards (ETBs). The ETBs will take over the work of VECs and will have an expanded role in the delivery of further education and training across the country. The new bodies will be better positioned to establish shared services and to provide support services to schools not just within the VEC sector but to primary schools and other second level schools in their areas. They can contribute significantly to driving in particular an agenda of encouraging aggregated procurement of supplies and services. Departmental estimates suggest that by 2016 following full implementation, savings of the order of €3.2million can be made annually. 3) The establishment of SOLAS, the new agency to reform, co-ordinate and fund further education and training programmes including developing a seamless interaction with the National Employment and Entitlement Service (NEES) on activation measures. 4) A single awarding authority for student grants. City of Dublin VEC will operate as the new single student grant awarding authority to replace the existing 66 grant awarding bodies. Implementation of the new arrangements is being phased in from 2012/13 academic year. 5) It is also proposed to dissolve the Education Finance Board on the establishment of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund. The purpose of this agency is to pay education grants to former residents and their relatives from the €12.7m provided by the religious congregations pursuant to the 2002 Indemnity Agreement. The recently published Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Bill 2012 provides for the dissolution of the EFB and the transfer of its functions in relation to the remaining moneys available to the new Residential Institutions Statutory Fund. 6) The consolidation of Higher Education provision under the Strategy for Higher Education to 2030.