Written Answers Nos. 66 - 72
66. Deputy Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans for the Office of Public Works to carry out repair works at a historical site (details provided) in County Meath; the date on which works will begin; when work will be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17182/14]
View answerThe Hill of Tara is a National Monument comprising the Ritual and Burial Site, the Church and graveyard. The site is in State ownership and is maintained by the National Monuments Service of the Office of Public Works. The wall to the rear of the Church/Visitor Centre, which is also the boundary wall of the graveyard, has been bulging in places for some time. Following a heavy period of rainfall in 2010 a section of the wall, which retained some 1.5 meters of soil, collapsed into the neighbouring field. Other long sections of the wall remained intact. There has been some additional damage caused by trees.
The project to rectify the damage at the site is a significant undertaking, involving complex preparation in terms of arboricultural, archaeological and architectural issues. In addition, repair proposals must involve sensitive engagement with the local community. In accordance with National Monuments legislation, the Office of Public Works has recently lodged a Consent application for the necessary remedial works with the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht and this is being considered at present. It is not possible just yet to state when remedial works will commence and be completed.
67. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he is satisfied regarding the extent to which the various departmental targets in respect of curtailment of public expenditure have been achieved to date with particular reference to the ongoing need in 2015 and 2016; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17195/14]
View answer68. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which he and his Department continue to remain in contact with all other Government Departments with a view to ensuring that expenditure remains in line with projections in the post-bailout context; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17196/14]
View answer69. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he remains satisfied regarding the extent to which all Government Departments and their subsidiary bodies continue to maintain budgetary strategy in line with expenditure and reform guidelines; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17197/14]
View answer70. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if targets in respect of expenditure cuts will remain unaltered in 2015 notwithstanding expected improved economic growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17198/14]
View answer72. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will set out his priorities in respect of both expenditure cuts and reform in the context of the compilation of budget 2015; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17200/14]
View answer75. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which public expenditure targets identified in conjunction with the troika remain on course notwithstanding the exit from the bailout; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17203/14]
View answer76. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which prudent public spending remains central to Government policy in the aftermath of the exit from the bailout; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17204/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 67 to 70, inclusive, 72, 75 and 76 together.
Ensuring the sustainability of the public finances is a prerequisite for economic stability and growth and therefore remains a central feature of Government policy. This Government has pursued a determined deficit reduction strategy in order to reduce the General Government Deficit below 3% of GDP by the target date of end-2015. This is a challenging target and one that is set against a difficult economic background which has required fiscal corrections in the form of significant consolidation on the expenditure and revenue fronts. The measures introduced by this Government have ensured Ireland's successful exit from the EU-IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland. To fully appreciate the scale of the expenditure consolidation it must be noted that it has been achieved in the context of increasing demands on public services in particular in the areas of Social Protection, Health and Education.
The 2014 Departmental expenditure allocations were set out in the Revised Estimates Volume 2014 (REV 2014), published on 18 December 2013. It is a matter for each Minister to ensure the prudent management of their respective 2014 expenditure allocations for their Department and all bodies and Offices that fall under the aegis of their Department. With regard to Departmental savings achieved to date, voted expenditure was well within budget for 2013. This effective management and delivery of savings is continuing in 2014 with the latest data on expenditure to end-March 2014 indicating that overall net voted expenditure was €261 million or 2.5% under profile, a year-on-year decrease of €631 million or 5.8%. In gross terms voted expenditure was €164 million or 1.2% under profile and was €452 million or 5.7% lower than the same period last year. The reduction in expenditure compared with the first quarter in 2013 illustrates that Departments are working to deliver the savings measures outlined in Budget 2014 and that the Government is firmly committed to meeting our deficit targets.
My Department has a number of measures in place to ensure that the budgetary targets are met. Departmental expenditure will continue to be monitored against the monthly expenditure profiles for each Department throughout the year. My officials are in regular communication with all Departments and Offices to ensure that expenditure is being managed and controlled effectively. Where necessary, my Department meets regularly with line Departments to review financial management. This type of strict expenditure management contributed to Ireland's successful exit from the EU-IMF programme of financial assistance on 15 December 2013. Following our exit from the programme, this same discipline regarding expenditure management is required to ensure the ongoing sustainability of the public finances and to ensure that all public expenditure targets continue to be met.
As I announced on Budget day last year, my Department is leading a Comprehensive Review of Expenditure. This review process which has recently commenced will enable consideration of expenditure options by Government and will help frame the Ministerial expenditure ceilings for 2015, 2016 and 2017 and Government decisions in that regard.
Good progress has been made to date with regard to the implementation of the Government's Public Service Reform Plan in Departments and Offices. The updated Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016 was published in January this year. This plan aims to ensure that efficiencies and reformed work practices play a full part in contributing to the overall budgetary consolidation effort which is essential to achieving our annual deficit target.
71. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which scope continues to exist in 2015 for savings through reform as opposed to expenditure cuts; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17199/14]
View answer74. Deputy Bernard J. Durkan asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the savings achieved through reform throughout the public sector in each of the past five years to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17202/14]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 71 and 74 together.
As set out in my reply to the Deputy's Oral Question today (reference 16728/14) on a similar theme, the Government is continuing to make good progress on achieving its deficit targets and priorities. Since its peak in 2009, Gross Voted Expenditure has been reduced by €10.1 billion or 16%, from €63.1 billion in 2009 to just under €53 billion in 2014. Staff numbers have also been reduced by over 30,000 since 2008, even as demands on services increased. In bringing public expenditure back onto a sustainable path, meaningful reform of the Public Service was essential to ensure that we can maintain and improve services. In November 2011, we published our first Public Service Reform Plan. In January this year, I published a report setting out the progress made under the first Reform Plan. At the same time, I also published the Government's second Public Service Reform Plan, setting out our ambition for the next three years. These documents are available on my Department's website.
As well as enabling services to be maintained and improved in the context of reduced resources, a number of reforms have delivered, and will deliver, significant cost savings.
- The Croke Park Agreement delivered €1.8 billion in pay and non-pay savings. The Haddington Road Agreement sets out a number of measures to deliver a further reduction of €1 billion in the Public Service pay and pensions bill by 2016. It also provides for a total of 15 million additional working hours annually across all sectors of the Public Service, which will help to deliver long term and sustainable increases in productivity.
- We have undertaken a major review of public procurement and are now implementing a radical overhaul of our approach, with the new Office of Public Procurement targeting €500 million in savings over the next three years (€127 million this year).
- We are introducing shared services for a range of back-office functions to increase efficiency and integration across organisations. For example, Peoplepoint, the Civil Service HR and Pensions Shared Service Centre, will deliver savings estimated at €12.5 million annually when fully operational.
- The use of innovative models of service delivery, greater use of technology and more efficient management of the State's property portfolio will also yield increased efficiencies.
Some of the savings made will be re-invested into public services as a "reform dividend", utilised to support service improvements and to sustain the reform agenda beyond the current fiscal crisis.
Of course, as well as reducing costs we are implementing other reforms, with the objective of building a more sustainable and effective Public Service. We have put in place new working arrangements, including longer working hours, new rosters, and standardised arrangements for annual leave and sick leave. The budgetary process has been reformed to make it more transparent and to improve how we spend public money. We are implementing a programme of political reform to increase openness and to rebuild public trust in the State. We are renewing the Civil Service to enable it to meet current and future challenges.
These are just a few of the initiatives underway to build a more customer-centred, open and transparent, responsive, efficient and effective Public Service. Public Service Reform will continue to be an important element of the Government's strategy for economic recovery, with our ambition for reform for the next three years set out in the new Public Service Reform Plan.
