Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 October 2009
142 Deputy Jan O’Sullivan asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps she is taking to ensure greater efficiencies at the Money Advice and Budgeting Service; and the amount of savings or the type of efficiencies secured in the past 12 months. [34399/09]
View answer167 Deputy Ciarán Lynch asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the steps she is taking to ensure greater efficiencies at the Citizens Information Board; and the amount of savings or the type of efficiencies secured in the past 12 months. [34401/09]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 142 and 167 together
In Budget 2009, the Government decided to assign responsibility for the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS) to the Citizen Information Board. The primary objective was to bring the two organisations under one Board of Management, maximise infrastructure, share support services and thus achieve efficiencies in the use of resources.
Current initiatives underway to ensure greater efficiency in the use of resources in both organisations include:
Co-location of services in a single office
Insurance provision
General procurement, including IT equipment, office supplies, energy costs
Broadening of CIB's internal audit function to include MABS companies
8% reduction in professional fees
Reduced travel and subsistence
5% reduction in electricity costs
Consolidation of advertising for the recruitment of staff for MABS
Efficiencies in a range of areas e.g. office supplies.
Promoting the CIB and MABS websites as a source of information
It is estimated that savings of €500K will be achieved by the CIB in 2009. There are no figures available at this time in relation to savings by MABS.
It is envisaged that the assignment of responsibility for MABS to the CIB will generate efficiencies and savings in the future in such areas as service co-location, administration and shared support services.
