Dominic Hannigan (Meath East, Labour)
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Question 277: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform 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. [21596/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I refer the Deputy to my answer to PQ 20116/12 answered on Tuesday 24th April, 2012.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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Question 278: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of bodies and agencies under his aegis; and his proposals for review of operation of same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21609/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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With regard to the number of bodies and agencies under my aegis, I refer the Deputy to my answer to Deputy Mary Lou McDonald (PQ Ref No: 5539/12) on 31 January 2012 which lists the bodies and agencies of each Department. Those Offices of State etc., who have their own Vote (see Appendix 1) and for which I am responsible are:

Vote 13 - Office of Public Works

Vote 14 - State Laboratory

Vote 16 - Valuation Office

Vote 17 - Public Appointments Service

Vote 18 - Commission for Public Service Appointments

Vote 19 - Office of the Ombudsman

Regarding proposals for the review of operation of these bodies, as the Deputy will be aware, the Public Service Reform Report, published in November 2011, outlined the programme of public service reforms and improvements which are designed to deliver the commitments made in the Programme for Government. The radical streamlining of state bodies is a key element in the reform programme and to this end, the Report listed 48 bodies which are due to be rationalised by end 2012 and a further 46 bodies which are to be critically reviewed by June 2012. The Commission on Public Service Appointments, which is due to be merged with Office of the Ombudsman, is listed as one of the 48 bodies to be rationalised by end of 2012.

Those bodies which are under my Department and which are listed for critical review by June include:

· National Development Finance Agency (Merge National Development Finance Agency in to OPW/National Procurement Service).

· Valuation Office (Merge the Valuation Office, the Property Registration Authority and Ordnance Survey).

· Disciplinary Code of Appeals Board and the Independent Mediator (Abolish /Merge with new employment rights body listed under Appendix IIa of the Public Service Reform Plan).

· State Laboratory (Merge Forensic Science Laboratory Medical Bureau of Road Safety into State Laboratory).

· Office of the Ombudsman (Amalgamate Office of the Data Protection Commissioner with the Office of the Ombudsman. There are also a number of related actions including merging the functions of the Language Commissioner and merging the back-office functions of the Office of the Ombudsman for Children into the Office of the Ombudsman).