Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

243. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the number of agencies, quangos or other bodies within her Department, funded by or established by her 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [18440/15]

Joan Burton (Dublin West, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Authority, the Pensions Council, the Pensions Ombudsman (which does not have a Board) and the Social Welfare Tribunal.

The Public Service Reform Programme provided for a critical review of the integration of the regulatory functions of the Pensions Authority with the Financial Regulator and the merging of the Pensions Ombudsman with the Financial Services Ombudsman. Recommendations arising out of the Critical Review on the Pensions Authority to be implemented were approved by Government in April 2013 and provided for in the Social Welfare and Pensions Act, 2013.

In relation to the Pensions Board, the following changes were approved:

- Oversight of the then Pensions Board to be undertaken by a three person body called the Pensions Authority consisting of a Chairperson, an official from the Department of Social Protection and an official Department of Finance, replacing the 17 person Board. This was put in place in early 2014.

- The Pensions Board was renamed the Pensions Authority to reflect its key role of safeguarding the pensions of occupational pension scheme members and the provision of information on occupational pensions.

- A separate unpaid Pensions Council was established to advise me and the Department on matters of pension policy and give consumers greater input. The Pensions Council was appointed on the 3 February 2015, and its first meeting took place on the 25 March 2015. Its membership ensures that the relevant skills, knowledge, and experience are available to provide the required advice and information in the development of pensions policy.

There is no net cost to splitting the functions of the Pensions Board, and there is anticipated to be a small saving as membership of the Pensions Council and the ordinary members of the Board of the Pensions Authority are not remunerated, unlike the previous ordinary members of the Pensions Board. However, as the Pensions Board was funded by means of a levy on the pensions industry, as are the activities of the Pensions Authority now, no costs or savings arise for the Exchequer. There was no reduction in staff levels in the Pensions Authority as a result of the approved changes.

The process of merging the Pensions Ombudsman with the Financial Services Ombudsman is underway. This work is advancing under an Inter-Departmental Steering Group chaired by the Department of Finance, with the participation of officials from the Department of Social Protection, the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform, and the offices of the two Ombudsmen. Preparations are being made for the offices to be co-located later this year, and it is hoped that the legislative changes required for a formal merger will be proposed by the Minister for Finance later this year. No significant savings are expected in advance of the full merger.