Departmental Bodies

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 16 January 2013

Wednesday, 16 January 2013

Questions (419)

Patrick O'Donovan

Question:

419. Deputy Patrick O'Donovan asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will provide in tabular form the number of agencies, bodies, boards, quangos or other entities, which are financed from, answerable to or established by her Department that have been abolished, merged or re-organised since this Government took office; the savings that have been realised since the changes were made; the level of staff reduction that has been achieved; if she will provide details of further agency reductions that he intends to pursue in 2013 [57884/12]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection (Deputy Joan Burton)

The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman and the Social Welfare Tribunal.

No body under the aegis of the Department has been abolished, merged or re-organised since the Government took office.

The Public Service Reform Programme provides for a critical review of the integration of the regulatory functions of the Pensions Board with the Financial Regulator and the merging of the Pensions Ombudsman with the Financial Services Ombudsman. The review is to include identifying any potential savings arising from such an amalgamation.

The Critical Review Group, established to carry out the reviews announced under the Public Service Reform Programme, is finalising a draft report with recommendations. I expect to receive the final report from the Group in the very near future. Following receipt of this report, decisions in relation to possible reforms will be taken.