State Agencies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 November 2011

Wednesday, 16 November 2011

Questions (172)

Michael McCarthy

Question:

172 Deputy Michael McCarthy asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will confirm the total number of State agencies, independent statutory bodies, State boards or other quangos which currently exist within his Department; if he will provide a breakdown of each, listing in particular full name, location, the total amount of funding allocated to each in 2011 and total staff number; the number of State agencies, independent statutory bodies, State boards or other quangos which have been abolished or wound down since he took office, and the total amount of savings achieved with each closure; the number of State agencies, independent statutory bodies, State boards or other quangos being considered for abolition in the context of budget 2012; if he will furnish a list of the organisations under consideration, specifying in particular their annual running costs, primary function, and staff number in tabular form; if there is a rationalisation programme in place within his Department in respect of State agencies, independent statutory bodies, State boards or other quangos for the next five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34894/11]

Written answers

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources (Deputy Pat Rabbitte)

I can inform the Deputy that the Bodies under the aegis of my Department are set out in Table 1. This table lists full name of each Body, its location, the total amount of Exchequer funding to each Body (where applicable) in 2011 and whole time equivalent staff numbers as at 30 September 2011.

I can further inform the Deputy that the number of Bodies under the remit of my Department has been cut by 9 through merger or abolition since the formation of my Department in 2007 as set out in the Table 2.

Proposals for further restructuring of Bodies under my remit are being considered by Government in the context of the Comprehensive Review of Expenditure and further information will be made available in due course.

Table 1

Body	Location	Exchequer Funding 2011 — €m	WTE Staff Numbers @ 30/09/2011
Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI)	2-5 Warrington Place, Dublin 2	—	33
Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg)	Block DEF, Abbey Court, Irish Life Centre, Lower Abbey St., Dublin 1	—	120
Commission for Energy Regulation (CER)	The Exchange, Belgard Square North, Tallaght, Dublin 24	—	71
Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA)	Digital Exchange, Crane St., The Digital Hub, Dublin 8	3.495	13
Loughs Agency (North-South Body)	22 Victoria Road, Derry BT47 2AB	2.819	56
Inland Fisheries Ireland (IFI)	Swords Business Campus, Balheary Road, Swords, Co. Dublin	25.798	346
National Oil Reserves Agency (NORA)	7 Clanwilliam Square, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2	—	6
Ordnance Survey Ireland (OSi)	Ordnance Survey Road, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8	7.451	273
Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI)	Wilton Park House, Wilton Place, Dublin 2	8.968	61
An Post	General Post Office, O’Connell St., Dublin 1	—	8,852
Bord Gáis Éireann	Gasworks Road, Cork	—	1,149
Bord na Móna	Main St., Newbridge, Co. Kildare	—	2,200
EirGrid	The Oval, 160 Shelbourne Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4	—	317
ESB	ESB Head Office, 27 Lower Fitzwilliam St., Dublin 2	—	6,235
Irish National Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (INPC)	7 Clanwilliam Square, Grand Canal Quay, Dublin 2	—	0
Raidió Teilifís Éireann	Donnybrook, Dublin 4	—	1,986
Teilifís na Gaeilge	Baile na hAbhann, Co. na Gaillimhe	—	81

Table 2

Restructuring since establishment of Department in June 2007	Current Status/Savings
1. Abolish The National Salmon Commission	Abolished on the enactment of the Inland Fisheries Act 2010. No Exchequer spending was incurred in relation to the National Salmon Commission in either 2009 or 2010.
2. Merge BCI and BCC	BCI and BCC were dissolved under the Broadcasting Act 2009 and subsumed into the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland. The BAI is now a levy based organisation and is not funded by the Exchequer. The last full year of Exchequer funding in 2008 amounted to €6.5m.
3. Merge Regional Fisheries Boards	Merger took effect on 1 July 2010 on the establishment of Inland Fisheries Ireland following the enactment of the Inland Fisheries Ireland Act 2010. Direct Exchequer funding for Inland Fisheries Ireland was reduced by €2.582 million in 2010 compared to 2009 and there was a further €0.749 million reduction in 2011 although not all of this is attributable to savings arising from restructuring of the inland fisheries sector.