Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will provide in tabular form the number of agencies, bodies, boards, quangos or other entities, which are financed from, answerable to or established by his Department that have been abolished, merged or re-organised since this Government took office; the savings that have been realised since the changes were made; the level of staff reduction that has been achieved; if he will provide details of further agency reductions that he intends to pursue in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [57872/12]

Jimmy Deenihan (Kerry North-West Limerick, Fine Gael)
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The Public Service Reform Plan published by the Government on 17^th November 2011 outlined a series of rationalisation measures, including some related to bodies funded from my Department's Vote Group. Savings of €20 million in enhanced service efficiencies and value-for-money were targeted in the Public Service Reform Plan. I expect that savings of approximately €1m will be made initially across the institutions involved in the reform programme which are funded from my Department's Vote Group, with further savings to be identified as the various cost saving measures are implemented.

To advance this, my Department has conducted a critical examination of the structure and operation of the institutions included in the Public Service Reform Plan. Summary documents which outline the main outcomes of this examination in relation to these bodies and institutions have been published on my Department's web-site and can be accessed through the following link:

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With regard to the abolition of organisations or agencies funded from my Department's Vote Group, it may be noted that the work of Culture Ireland has now been fully integrated into my Department and its board has been replaced by an expert committee, operating pro bono. In addition, the term of office of the Placenames Commission has expired and it will be replaced shortly by an expert committee, operating pro bono.