The number of bodies within my Department's remit has been reduced from five to one, resulting in a reduction in budget allocations of €3.45m or 60%.
The total Separate programme funding for the work of the Ireland Newfoundland Partnership and the Active Citizenship Office ceased in 2009. The separate Offices in these areas have been discontinued which has given rise to savings in my Department's Estimates of approximately €356,000 per annum. The National Forum on Europe was closed in 2009 which also gave rise to savings in the Estimates of €360,000.
The National Economic and Social Forum (NESF) and the National Centre for Partnership and Performance (NCPP) were dissolved on 1 April, 2010. This has led to savings on both pay and non-pay expenditure. As a result of this the 2010 allocation for the National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO), which includes the National Economic and Social Council, of €3.332m was a reduction of €1.727m over the 2009 allocation. The 2010 drawdown for NESDO, was €2.535m, representing a saving of €0.797m on the 2010 allocation. The savings arose mainly as a result of reduced accommodation and rent, which was made possible by the dissolution of the NESF and the NCPP, along with reduced pay and administrative costs. The 2011 provision for NESDO is €2.325m, a reduction of just over €1m on 2010.