Patrick O'Donovan (Limerick, Fine Gael)
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1000. To ask the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport the number of agencies quangos or other bodies within, funded by or established by his Department which have been scrapped, merged or reduced since this Government was formed; the amount saved in each case; the reduction in staff as a result; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1021/15]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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Since 2011 there have been no new agencies created; however a number have been merged or abolished. Dundalk Port Company was merged with Dublin Port Company on 12 July 2011, while Tralee and Fenit Harbour Commissioners transferred to the control of Kerry County Council on 1 October 2011. On 1st January 2012 both Baltimore and Skibbereen Harbour Commissioners and Kinsale Harbour Commissioners transferred to the control of Cork County Council along with Arklow Harbour Commissioners which transferred to the control of Wicklow County Council. The final Harbour Commission, Bantry Bay merged with the Port of Cork Company on 1 January 2014. The transfer of Dundalk Port Company to Dublin Port Company was on foot of a financial review of Dundalk Port Company while the transfers of the Harbours Commissioners were in line with the National Ports Policy 2005 which recommended the transfer of Regional harbours, operating under the Harbours Act 1946, to Local Authority control.

In 2012 Dublin Tourism merged with its parent body Fáilte Ireland on 1 January. Shannon Airport separated from the Dublin Airport Authority on 31st December 2012 to merge with a restructured Shannon Development to form a new integrated Shannon entity in public ownership with Shannon Group being established on the 5th September 2014.

Coaching Ireland merged into the Irish Sports Council on 1 January 2013.

A Bill for the merger of Irish Sports Council and the National Sports Campus Development Authority and the Bill for the merger of the Railway Procurement Agency and the National Roads Authority are currently before the Oireachtas.

With regard to savings associated with Agency Rationalisation, I refer the Deputy to the recently published report by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform: A Report on the Implementation of the Agency Rationalisation Programme.

Staff reductions are a matter for the agencies themselves. I will however forward the Deputy's question to the agencies concerned for their direct reply. If the Deputy does not receive a response within 10 working days please contact my private office.