Departmental Bodies Abolition

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 November 2012

Wednesday, 21 November 2012

Questions (13, 15, 16)

Willie O'Dea

Question:

13. Deputy Willie O'Dea asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has identified additional State agencies that can be rationalised; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51651/12]

Micheál Martin

Question:

15. Deputy Micheál Martin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when he expects the proposed rationalisation of State agencies to be completed; the overall savings that it will achieve; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51640/12]

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

16. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to abolish or merge State agencies; the number that have been abolished or merged to date; the number he proposes to abolish or merge in 2013 and 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [51433/12]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

I propose to take Questions Nos. 13, 15 and 16 together.

As the Deputy is aware, the streamlining of State bodies is set out in the Public Service Reform Plan, published in November 2011. This streamlining included 48 rationalisation measures to be implemented by the end of 2012, as well as a further 46 critical reviews to take place by the end of June 2012. Details of the bodies involved are set out in Appendices IIa and IIb of the Plan which can be found on the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s website.

My Department is monitoring progress on the implementation of the 48 agency rationalisation measures outlined in the Public Service Reform Plan. I recently updated my Cabinet colleagues in relation to progress on implementation across all Departments up to end-Q3. I am satisfied that significant progress has been made by the responsible parent Departments on the implementation of these measures. While, the Government has decided not to proceed with the absorption of the National Cancer Registry into the Department of Health at this time, I am confident, based on the progress to date, that the other 47 measures will be completed, at a minimum, on an administrative basis by end-year. All of my Ministerial colleagues and their Departments are working to this end. The specific progress on each of the 47 measures is outlined in a table which will be made available to Deputies, along with a copy of this answer. If Deputies have further queries on the progress or want further detail on individual measures, this information should be sought from the relevant Minister.

To ensure that the momentum is maintained and to build on this progress, I asked the Government to agree that no separate funding be available for those entities not merged / rationalised by end-year, unless in a programme agreed with the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

I also recently updated my Cabinet colleagues on the 46 Critical Reviews of further potential agency rationalisation measures which were undertaken by the Departments as part of commitments made in the Public Service Reform Plan. The outcome from these reviews are listed in a table which will be made available to Deputies, along with a copy of this answer. Broadly speaking:

24 of the critical reviews (involving a total of 116 bodies) recommended proceeding with merger/rationalisation. I requested my Cabinet colleagues to bring forward a timeline for full implementation of these mergers/rationalisations by end 2013.

10 reviews did not recommend proceeding with the proposed actions. I have asked these Departments to bring forward alternative proposals to improve shared services, operational synergies etc., between the bodies mentioned, where appropriate;

4 reviews are ongoing and due to report by end-year; and

8 reviews were deferred due to wider external factors. These reviews are predominantly in the Health Sector and will be considered in due course once the final health landscape becomes clearer.

Regarding savings, let me first state clearly that this programme of agency rationalisation is about reform and not a simple cost-saving exercise. I have always maintained that the while this programme will deliver savings to the taxpayer, the real benefits lie in the simplification of the administrative landscape, thereby ensuring greater accountability, less duplication of effort and more transparent lines of responsibility of public servants.

The Public Service Reform Plan indicated that savings of 20 million euro in enhanced service efficiencies and value-for-money were envisaged from the rationalisation programme and I am confident these savings will be achieved. I wish to emphasise that these savings will be, for the most part, largely derived from a reduction in staff numbers leading to greater efficiency.

There will of course be other cash savings realised over time as organisations, financial systems, office accommodation etc. are rationalised into leaner, more coherent structures. Such savings, some of which will be once-off, will be factored into the overall budgetary framework as they arise.

Table 1. 47 Measures to be implemented by end 2012 (Progress to end Q3 2012)

Department	Ref No. ([1] See Appendix IIa of Public Service Reform Plan1)	Body and Action	Status
Education and Skills	1 to 3	Amalgamation of Further Education and Training Awards, Higher Education and Training Award Council and National Qualifications Authority of Ireland	Amalgamation provided for in the Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Act 2012, passed in July 2012.
	4	Reduce Number of VEC’s from 33 to 16	Enabling Bill currently before Dáil
	5 & 6	Merge Irish Research Council for Science, Engineering and Technology and Council for the Humanities and Social Science into consolidated single council under HEA.	Merger complete March 2012
Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation	7 & 8	Amalgamate the Competition Authority and National Consumer Agency	Draft Heads of Bill approved and due before Dáil.
	9-13	Rationalise the industrial relations / employee rights institutions (Labour Court, Labour Relations Commission, National Employment Rights Authority, Employment Appeals Tribunal, Equality Tribunal)	Significant progress made to date on new two tier-model. General scheme of Bill approved by Government.
	14	Establish the scope to merge Forfás into the Department [DJEI]	An Executive style Board has been put in place in Forfás to oversee merger.
	15	Review of City and County Enterprise Boards	Primary legislation required. Implementation group established.
Environment, Community and Local Government	16 & 17	Merge Local Government Computer Services Board & Local Government Management Services Board	Completed. Local Government Management Agency established in August 2012.
	18 & 19	Merge Regeneration Agencies in Limerick into Local Authorities (and extend remit of regeneration to certain city centre areas)	Completed in July 2012.
	20	Subsume An Comhairle Leabharlanna into existing public body	Completed. Provided for in the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act.
	21	Comhar to be integrated into the National Economic and Social Council.	Completed January 2012.
	22	Interim Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency incorporating the Affordable Housing Partnership, National Building Agency and Centre for Housing Research	Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency established in August 2012.
	23	Discontinue the Dormant Accounts Board	DAB to be dissolved in December 2012.
Public Expenditure and Reform	24	Merge Commission on Public Service Appointments with Ombudsman	Enabling Act recently enacted.
Health	25	Merger of National Council for Professional Development of Nursing and Midwifery.	Completed
	26	Merge Opticians Boards with the Health and Social Care Professionals Council	Working Group advancing proposal.
		Measure no.27 NCR see separate table below
Justice and Equality	28 & 29	Merge Equality Authority with the Human Rights Commission to form new Commission	Enabling Bill to be published by end 2012.
Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht	30, 31 & 32	Combine Irish Museum of Modern Art, Crawford Art Gallery & National Gallery of Ireland.	Framework for Co-operation & Improved Services agreed.
	33 &34	Merge National Archives & Irish Manuscripts Commission, into National Library	In order to achieve the greatest possible savings and efficiencies, it was decided that these rationalisation measures would be best implemented by deploying the existing National Archives (NAI) governance model to the National Library (NLI) and the National Museum (NMI). This will be put into effect on an administrative basis pending enactment of enabling legislation.
	35	Merge functions of An Coimisinéir Teanga with Ombudsman Office.	Being advanced alongside other Ombudsman related measures.
	36 & 37	Examine the issue of shared services and Board structure of both the National Library and Museum	See 33-34 above
Transport, Tourism and Sport	38	Merge NRA with Railway Procurement Agency	Target to publish Bill by end 2012 with statutory merger to take place in 2013
	39 & 40	Merge Irish Aviation Authority & Commission for Aviation Regulation	It has been agreed that a restructuring of two agencies as opposed to a merger should take place. This restructuring will take place by end 2014.
	41 & 42	Legislation to be published in 2012 to enable the merger of National Sports Campus Development Authority with the Irish Sports Council in 2013.	Draft General Scheme of Bill to be submitted to Government by end 2012 with a view to give effect to merger in 2013.
	43	Review Role of Shannon Development (Tourism) and possible merger into Fáilte Ireland	Proposals for merger to go to Government by end of year.
	44	Dublin Regional Tourism Authority and possible merger into Fáilte Ireland	Completed January 2012.
Defence	45	Merge Civil Defence Board into Department	Enabling bill published.
CENR	46	Merge the Digital Hub Development Authority with Enterprise Ireland / IDA	A review on proposed merger found that Dublin City Council would be a better merger partner for DHDA. The merger will be implemented on an administrative basis by end-year with necessary legislation to be progressed in 2013.
Children and Youth Affairs	47	Merge back-office functions of Ombudsman for Children with Information Commissioner	Shared services model to be implemented.
	48	Child and Family Support Agency / Family Mediation Service transfer to Legal Aid Board	Draft Bill to establish Agency in January 2013 expected shortly.

Measure not proceeding (end September 2012 position)

Department	Ref No. [1]	Body and Action	Status
Department of Health	27	National Cancer Registry to be abolished and subsumed into the HSE	NCR to remain a statutory body in the short to medium term.

Table 2 - 46 CRITICAL REVIEWS

24 Measures recommending proceeding with measure

PSR Ref No.[[2] See Appendix IIb of Public Service Reform Plan [3] The IMDO already, from an administrative perspective, operates under a single subhead with the Marine Institute, no further action needed. 2]	Department / Body / Proposal
	Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
2	Irish Maritime Development Office Subsume into the Marine Institute[3]
	Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources
4,5	Commission for Communication Regulation Merge back-office administrative functions with the BAI
	Department of Education and Skills
6	Expert Group on Future Skills Needs Absorb into Department
	Department of Children and Youth Affairs
7	National Education and Welfare Board Merge into Child & Family Support Agency.
	Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation
8	Advisory Council for Science, Technology and Innovation Absorb into Department.
9	National Competitiveness Council Absorb into Department.
10	Office of the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Government Absorb into SFI
11	Shannon Development Government has considered the issue of the future of Shannon Development and has announced a series of actions to progress the review and to report back to Government by end November 2012.

	Department of Environment, Community & Local Government
12	Environmental Protection Agency / Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland Merge EPA and the RPII [4]
13	Local Authorities Rationalisation of Local Authorities structures was announced on 15 October
15	Building Regulations Advisory Body Absorb into Department
	Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
17, 30-32	Valuation Office Merge the Valuation Office, the Property Registration Authority and Ordnance Survey.
19	State Laboratory Merge Forensic Science Laboratory into State Laboratory.[[4] This action may require a longer time-frame than end-2013 [5] The Forensic Science Laboratory will be brought under the ambit of the State Laboratory [6] These bodies already, from an administrative perspective, operate as one office under a single subhead in the Department’s Vote, no further action required.5]
	Department of Justice and Equality
29	Reception and Integration Agency, Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner & Refugee Appeals Tribunal Rationalise various Refugee Structures.
34	Prison Visiting Committees Reduce or merge Visiting Committees as there is now a Prison Inspectorate.
	Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
39	Chester Beatty Library Develop shared services opportunities with other cultural institutions.
40	Placenames Commission / An Choimisiúin Logainmneacha Absorb function within Department.
42	Culture Ireland Merge the functions of Culture Ireland into Department.
	Department of Jobs, Enterprise & Innovation (Cont.)
45	Companies Registration Office Merge the Companies Registration Office and the Office of the Registrar of Friendly Societies.[6]
46	Office of the Registrar of Friendly Societies See [6]

10 Measures not proceeding

PSR Ref No.[2]	Department / Body / Proposal
	Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
1	National Milk Agency Abolish or merge with Bord Bia.
3	Bord Iascaigh Mhara (B.I.M.) Transfer functions of BIM into the Department.
	Department of Environment, Community & Local Government
14	Local Government Audit Service Merge in the Office of the Comptroller & Auditor General
	Department of Finance / Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
18	Disciplinary Code of Appeals Board and the Independent Mediator Abolish /Merge with new employment rights body
	Department of Taoiseach
21	NESC Abolish / disband along with the other bodies in the group (NESDO) having regard to the duplication of functions with the ESRI and the economic advisory role of the new Irish Fiscal Advisory Council.
	Department of Justice and Equality
28	Property Services Regulation Authority Merge with the Private Residential Tenancy Board
	Department of Transport, Tourism & Sport
36	Medical Bureau of Road Safety Merge with State Laboratory[[7] The MBRS will be considered in time as part of the future configuration of the State Laboratory [8] While a merger will not proceed, a reduced, pro bono board will be put in place and statutory committees abolished.7]
37	Railway Safety Commission Amalgamate as part of establishing a single transport safety body comprising Road Safety Authority, Railway Safety Commission, and the Maritime Safety Directorate.
38	Road Safety Authority As above.
	Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht
41	Heritage Council Merge the functions of the Council into Department.[8]

List of 8 measures deferred due to external developments

PSR Ref No. [2]	Department / Body / Proposal
	Department of Health
22	Mental Health Commission Absorb into Patient Safety Authority.
23	National Paediatric Hospital Development Board Dependent on outcome of decision on hospital.
24	Health Information and Quality Authority The Programme for Government envisages the creation of a Patient Safety Authority incorporating HIQA with a licensing role.
25	National Treatment Purchase Fund The Programme for Government states that a new Hospital Care Purchase Agency will combine with the National Treatment Purchase Fund as part of the transition to a universal health insurance model.
26	Health Insurance Authority Future to be considered in context of proposed move to a system of Universal Health Care.
27	Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council. Merge into Health and Social Care Professionals Council
	Department of Justice and Equality
33	Office of the Data Protection Commissioner Amalgamate with the Office of the Ombudsman.
	Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation
35	Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests Subsume Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests into proposed Office of the Charities Regulator

4 Reviews ongoing or part of wider reviews

PSR Ref No. [2]	Department / Body / Proposal
	Department of Finance / Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
16	NDFA [9]
	Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
20	Development Education Advisory Committee Role being reviewed as part of review of 2006 White Paper on ODA included in Programme for Government.
	Department of Social Protection
43	Pensions Board Integrate functions with Financial Regulator. Review ongoing and due to be completed by end year
44	Pensions Ombudsman Merge with the Financial Services Ombudsman. Review ongoing and due to be completed by end year

[9] Review is not finalised