Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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287. To ask the Minister for Finance 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. [18434/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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In response to the Deputy's question Sealuchais Árachais Teoranta (SAT) was established in 1985 to effect the state ownership of Icarom. Following the completion of the Icarom administration in 2013, wind up procedures began for Icarom. SAT formally completed its Voluntary Strike Off on 05 October 2014 and the company is now dissolved.

SAT had no paid staff members. A&L Goodbody provided company secretarial service to SAT. This service was invoiced to the Department of Finance at an approximate cost of €2,900 per year.

In relation to the Credit Union Advisory Committee (CUAC), the initial committee appointed in 2010 ended its term in 2013. The new Committee established in 2014 has a reduced number of members. The details of the savings made are in the table below.

* Please note that CUAC  is an advisory committee set up to advise the Minister on Credit Union issues.

The National Treasury Management Agency (Amendment) Act 2014 simplified and streamlined the governance structures of the National Treasury Management Agency (NTMA). While the new governance structures will not see a reduction in staff numbers the Act reconstitutes the NTMA as a body with members who will have over-arching responsibility for all of the NTMA's functions (excluding National Asset Management Agency (NAMA) and the Strategic Banking Corporation of Ireland  (SBCI) which will continue to have their own separate boards).

The reconstituted Agency consists of six appointed Members and three ex-officio Members (the Chief Executive of the NTMA and the Secretaries General of the Department of Finance and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform). Pursuant to the Act the appointed Members shall be paid remuneration as determined by the Minister for Finance which has been set at €45,000 for the Chairperson and €30,000 for the Ordinary Members. The Chairperson of the Agency has waived his remuneration.

The following corporate bodies and committees will no longer be required under the new structure and have been/will be dissolved: the NTMA Advisory Committee, the National Pensions Reserve Fund (NPRF) Commission, the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) Board and the State Claims Agency (SCA) Policy Committee.  

The table below sets out the Board/Committee structure and remuneration which were applicable to appointees.  Ex officio and other Members who were appointed on the basis of their position in the public service did not receive any payment.

Statutory Instrument 586 of 2014, effective 22 December 2014, reconstituted the Agency and dissolved the NTMA Advisory Committee and the State Claims Policy Committee. An order was signed by the Minister for Finance on 23 January 2015 which dissolved the Board of the National Development Finance Agency. Under transitional provisions, pending the transfer of all NPRF assets and liabilities to the Ireland Strategic Investment Fund, the National Pensions Reserve Fund Commission will consist of one Member, the Chief Executive of the NTMA.