Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he has by way of natural retirement achieved savings and or staff reductions required to meet targets set in the Memorandum of Understanding entered into by his predecessors; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43775/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that this Government has already surpassed the number target of 294,700 set out in the Memorandum of Understanding. The 28,000 staff reduction achieved since 2008 has been largely delivered through natural retirements and normal staff turnover. The Government is committed to reducing public service numbers to 282,500 by the end of 2014 as part of its Reform Agenda. The overriding objective is to have a more customer focused, leaner, more efficient and better integrated public service which delivers maximum value for money.

The table below sets out public service numbers from the peak in 2008 to Quarter 2 2012. This information is available on my Departments website http://databank.per.gov.ie/