Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Education and Skills 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. [57876/12]

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Details of agencies under the remit of my Department can be downloaded from the Department's website, www.education.ie. This information is updated when any relevant changes occur.

For the Deputy's information, no agency under the aegis of my Department has been abolished since March 2011.

With regard to the rationalisation of state agencies the Deputy may wish to note the following:

- On 7th November, 2012 the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI), replaced the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), the Further Education and Training Awards Council of Ireland (FETAC), and the Higher Education Training and Awards Council (HETAC).

Major savings had already been achieved through the administrative preparations for amalgamation through non-replacement of staff retiring or leaving, the consolidation of the CEO role and streamlining of operations across the existing bodies. The 2012 current allocation for the bodies was €7.7 million, compared to an outturn of over €13 million in 2008. Staffing in NQAI, HETAC and FETAC has reduced from 110 to 80 over the same period.

As well as the more general savings arising from organisational efficiencies, specific savings relating to accommodation and staffing arise from the amalgamation. The amalgamating agencies were located in 4 separate locations and this has been reduced to 2. This has realised annual rent savings of approximately €400,000 in a full year. In addition, the reduction in the number of CEOs has resulted in savings of approximately €250,000 per year from 2011 onwards.

It is estimated that the costs arising from the amalgamation in 2012 will be approximately €1.8 million, split evenly between accommodation costs and the integration of ICT infrastructure. However, it should be noted that this has been managed in the context of reduced Exchequer allocations since 2008.

- The Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology and Irish Research Council for Humanities and Social Sciences were merged into a single entity in March, 2012 - the Irish Research Council (IRC).

- In June 2011, the functions of the National Educational Welfare Board transferred to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs.

- 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).

The Deputy will also be aware that there are a number of major structural reform projects and other initiatives being progressed in the Education sector (of which some are included in the Public Sector Reform Plan). These include:

- The amalgamation of the 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.

It is expected that the Education and Training Boards will be established in early 2013. Consequently, there are no direct savings for 2012. Depending on the date of establishment in 2013, full year savings are estimated at €2.1m. The Education and Training Boards Bill 2012 is currently at Committee Stage.

- 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 are being phased in from the 2012/13 academic year.

- The consolidation of Higher Education provision under the Strategy for Higher Education to 2030.

- Following the enactment of the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Act 2012, the necessary steps are being taken to establish the Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board. This body will be funded from the contributions of the religious congregations offered in response to the request for additional contributions, following the publication of the Ryan Report. The legislation also provides for the dissolution of the Education Finance Board, which has almost exhausted the €12.7 million available to it, and the transfer of any remaining functions of the Education Finance Board to the new Residential Institutions Statutory Fund Board.

- As part of the reorganisation of FAS and the creation of the National Employment and Entitlements Service (Intreo) by the Department of Social Protection, FAS Employment and Community Services (approximately 800 staff) was transferred to the Department of Social Protection in January 2012.

The passing of primary legislation is required for the establishment of SOLAS. The Heads of a Bill for the establishment of SOLAS were approved by Government. The Bill will, among other things, provide for the establishment of SOLAS, the dissolution of FAS and the transfer of the FÁS training division to the newly formed Education and Training Boards. It is anticipated that this legislation will be published in the current Dáil session.