Willie O'Dea (Limerick City, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has identified additional State agencies that can be rationalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51651/12]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he expects the proposed rationalisation of State agencies to be completed; the overall savings that it will achieve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51640/12]

Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to abolish or merge State agencies; the number that have been abolished or merged to date; the number he proposes to abolish or merge in 2013 and 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51433/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 15 and 16 together.

As the Deputy is aware, the streamlining of State bodies is set out in the Public Service Reform Plan, published in November 2011. This streamlining included 48 rationalisation measures to be implemented by the end of 2012, as well as a further 46 critical reviews 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 on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s website.

My Department is monitoring progress on the implementation of the 48 agency rationalisation measures outlined in the Public Service Reform Plan. I recently updated my Cabinet colleagues in relation to progress on implementation across all Departments up to end-Q3. I am satisfied that significant progress has been made by the responsible parent Departments on the implementation of these measures. While, the Government has decided not to proceed with the absorption of the National Cancer Registry into the Department of Health at this time, I am confident, based on the progress to date, that the other 47 measures will be completed, at a minimum, on an administrative basis by end-year. All of my Ministerial colleagues and their Departments are working to this end. The specific progress on each of the 47 measures is outlined in a table which will be made available to Deputies, along with a copy of this answer. If Deputies have further queries on the progress or want further detail on individual measures, this information should be sought from the relevant Minister.

To ensure that the momentum is maintained and to build on this progress, I asked the Government to agree that no separate funding be available for those entities not merged / rationalised by end-year, unless in a programme agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

I also recently updated my Cabinet colleagues on the 46 Critical Reviews of further potential agency rationalisation measures which were undertaken by the Departments as part of commitments made in the Public Service Reform Plan. The outcome from these reviews are listed in a table which will be made available to Deputies, along with a copy of this answer. Broadly speaking:

24 of the critical reviews (involving a total of 116 bodies) recommended proceeding with merger / rationalisation. I requested my Cabinet colleagues to bring forward a timeline for full implementation of these mergers/rationalisations by end 2013.

10 reviews did not recommend proceeding with the proposed actions. I have asked these Departments to bring forward alternative proposals to improve shared services, operational synergies etc., between the bodies mentioned, where appropriate;

4 reviews are ongoing and due to report by end-year; and

8 reviews were deferred due to wider external factors. These reviews are predominantly in the Health Sector and will be considered in due course once the final health landscape becomes clearer.

Regarding savings, let me first state clearly that this programme of agency rationalisation is about reform and not a simple cost-saving exercise. I have always maintained that the while this programme 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.

The Public Service Reform Plan indicated that savings of 20 million euro in enhanced service efficiencies and value-for-money were envisaged from the rationalisation programme and I am confident these savings will be achieved. I wish to emphasise that these savings will be, for the most part, largely derived from a reduction in staff numbers leading to greater efficiency.

There will of course be other cash savings realised over time as organisations, financial systems, office accommodation etc. are rationalised into leaner, more coherent structures. Such savings, some of which will be once-off, will be factored into the overall budgetary framework as they arise.