Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which he can, in the context of budgetary curtailments in the current year, rely on revised working hours as a possible alternative to salary or wage cuts in view of the fact that the public already have considerable commitments by way of financial outgoings; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3057/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Since eGovernment 2012-2015 was launched in April 2012, my Department has been promoting awareness of the content of the strategy, including reporting requirements. In that regard, the eGovernment Policy Unit has met with Public Bodies for a series of bilateral meetings to agree approaches to progressing and reporting on actions in the strategy. The Unit has also organised four mini-conferences raising awareness of specific elements of the strategy. Further events are planned for 2013.

While the specific project plans for implementation of the Strategy are the responsibility of each Department and agency, to facilitate easier reporting by Public Bodies, my Department has developed a new website, e.gov.ie, which is being made available over the public Internet today (Wednesday 23 January 2013). The eGovernment updates on this site include short narratives on projects that have been planned or completed. Public Bodies will continue to add and update entries on an on-going basis.

The content of e.gov.ie will be an important element of the first progress report under the strategy, which will be prepared for Government during the first quarter of 2013.