andMr. Keating asked the Minister for the Environment if he will state in accordance with the recommendations of the Public Services Organisation Review Group, whether his Department has yet been divided into an Aireacht and executive units with responsibility for policy formulation and implementation, respectively; if not, the reason; and if he intends to make such arrangements.
Written Answers. - Review Group's Recommendations.
710.
Following a full and detailed examination of my Department by a joint task force, representative of my Department and the Department of the Public Service, which was completed towards the end of 1980, I, with the agreement of the Minister for the Public Service, accepted proposals for restructuring of my Department on the lines envisaged in the recommendations of the Public Services Organisation Review Group. Work on the implementation of the agreed proposals is proceeding satisfactorily.
711.
andMr. Keating asked the Minister for the Environment if he will state in respect of commercial State bodies under his aegis, whether he has accepted recommendation number 11 of the Public Services Organisation Review Group (a) that the activities of the bodies should be broken down by sub-goals; (b) that where an activity is economic there should be a minimum of interference; and (c) that where a loss is involved, the position should be kept under review
While Recommendation No. 11 of the Public Services Organisation Review Group, which completed its report in 1969, has not been the subject of an explicit decision by any Government the performance of the commercial State bodies under my aegis is kept under review with the objective of ensuring that their activities are conducted as economically as possible.
The bodies under my aegis which may be regarded as commercial State Bodies are the National Building Agency and the Housing Finance Agency.
In carrying out their objectives the National Building Agency have not incurred a loss to date. However the agency are aware of the need to accumulate adequate reserves and have set a target of reserves equivalent to at least one year's fixed overheads. The Housing Finance Agency Act, 1981, under which the Housing Finance Agency was established in February 1982 provides that the agency should be self-financing.