Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 3 July 2012
281 Deputy John Lyons asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the expected level of savings through adjustments from the Croke Park agreements in 2013; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [31767/12]
View answerThe estimates allocation and overall budgetary process will set out the approach to be taken to Government expenditure in 2013. This framework does not assign specific savings targets to those areas that are covered by the Public Service Agreement 2010-2014. However, Paragraph 1.16 of the Agreement does provide for an annual review of the savings generated from its implementation. Two such reviews have been undertaken by the Implementation Body for the Agreement to date. On 13th June last, the Body published its Second Annual Progress Report in respect of Year 2 of the Agreement (12 months ending March 2012) which found, inter alia, that:
Pay bill Savings of €650m were achieved during the year under review (Apr 2011 to Mar 2012) driven largely by the reduction in staff numbers, or €521m net of an estimate for the maximum possible post-February recruitment over 2012. An estimated €810m in sustainable pay bill savings has therefore been achieved during the first two years of the Agreement.
Administrative efficiency (or ‘non-pay') savings totalling €370m were reported for the review period. Adding non-pay savings presented in last year's Report totalling €308m, gives a total of €678m in non-pay savings in the first two years of the Agreement.
