Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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286. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of agencies or State bodies under the aegis of his Department that have been abolished since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32245/14]

Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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287. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the number of new agencies or State bodies that have been established under the aegis of his Department since 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32260/14]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 286 and 287 together.

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 my Department since the formation of the Government. 

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

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