Written answers

Thursday, 16 January 2014

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Departmental Bodies

Photo of Simon HarrisSimon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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123. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of quangos, State agencies or organisations under the remit of his Department that have been merged, reformed or abolished since 2011; the details of each of these measures in tabular form; the cost saving or service delivery improvement which has resulted; how many more he expects to be merged, reformed or abolished and the timeline for same; if he will provide a full list of all agencies and organisations under his remit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1982/14]

Photo of Brendan HowlinBrendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Public Service Reform Plan aims to secure €20 million in enhanced service efficiencies and value-for-money from the rationalisation programme; a target that will be achieved. The bulk of the savings are derived from a reduction in the number of public servants working in the merged entities and from other administrative efficiencies.

From the outset I have maintained that the lasting and most important benefit from the rationalisation of State Bodies will be a less crowded administrative landscape, resulting in greater democratic accountability, less duplication of effort and clearer lines of responsibility for the citizen. Moreover, the rationalisation programme needs to be understood as just one of a package of reform measures that will allow for the continued delivery of critical services against the backdrop of reducing public service numbers. 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. These savings, some of which will be once-off, will be factored into the overall budgetary framework as they arise.

Within my own area of control the Commission on Public Service Appointments was merged into the Office of the Ombudsman with effect from October 2012. Arrangements are also currently underway for the merger of the Valuation Office, the Property Registration Authority and Ordnance Survey Ireland; and the measure concerning the State Laboratory and the Forensic Science Laboratory is progressing. No new State Bodies or Agencies have been created in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform since the formation of the Government.

A full list of all State Agencies and organisations under my remit includes:

- Office of Public Works

- Office of the Ombudsman

- Public Appointments Service

- State Laboratory

- Valuation Office

- Valuation Tribunal

- An Post National Lottery Board

- Institute of Public Administration

- Special EU Programmes Body

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