Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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121. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the reason the 2014 expenditure report did not separately show the 2014 and full-year effect of expenditure measures announced; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45579/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012-2014 (CER) published by my Department on 5 December 2011 set out current expenditure ceilings for Departments for the period 2012 to 2014. The ceilings and savings measures contained in the CER were informed by the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure (CRE) carried out in 2011. In setting out current expenditure ceilings for 2012 to 2014, the CER outlined the impact of 2012 savings on subsequent years and also the further savings that would be required to remain within the ceilings in 2013 and 2014. The savings measures specified were a direct result of the CRE process where Departments realigned spending plans for the three year period with Departmental priorities.

The Expenditure Report 2013 reconciled changes in the expenditure ceilings for 2013 and 2014 with those published in the CER and outlined the savings necessary to adhere to the 2014 ceiling taking into account the effect in 2014 of savings measures to be implemented in 2014. As the Expenditure Report 2014 deals with savings for the final period covered by the ceilings set out in the CER, the reconciliation versus the previous ceiling and detail in respect of expenditure savings measures was provided exclusively for 2014.

As I announced on Budget Day, the next CRE will commence in the coming months. This CRE will inform the final determination of expenditure allocations for 2015 to 2017 to ensure alignment between the multi-year expenditure ceilings and developing Government priorities.

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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122. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform to set out the expenditure adjustment that will be made within his Department in 2014; the full-year impact of expenditure measures that will be taken in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45589/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform's budget and staffing allocation reflects its strategy of delivering well managed and well-targeted public spending, delivered through modernised, effective and accountable public services. While savings have accrued due to the transfer of certain functions and pay reductions across the group, these are offset due to the significant start-up costs of the shared services and the transfer of maintenance service costs to OPW.

The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, together with the Shared Services and Office of Government Procurement functions, continues to deliver key outputs set out in the Public Service Reform Plan which was published in November 2011. This investment in the Government's reform agenda will yield longer term cost savings and facilitate service continuity in a smaller and leaner Public Service. When these centres are fully operational, annual savings targets are estimated as follows:

- Office of Government Procurement - The procurement reform programme is targeting up to €500m of much needed savings for tax payers over the next 3 years.

- Peoplepoint (transactional HR) - €12.5m

- Payroll Shared Services (transactional payroll and pension services) - €5.6m

My Department has also collaborated with the Department of Finance to achieve administrative efficiencies within our shared facilities, particularly in the accommodation footprint.