As part of a rigorous appraisal of the State Agencies under the aegis of my Department, I announced, in October, 2011, further measures in relation to the rationalisation programme with the overall number of agencies being reduced from 21 to 12. The Government recently approved for publication proposed legislation, the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2012, which will be a key facilitator in the Department's agency rationalisation programme.
The Bill will allow my Department to dissolve the Local Government Computer Services Board, the Local Government Management Services Board and An Chomhairle Leabharlanna. In their place a single agency — The Local Government Management Agency — will provide the shared services in industrial relations, ICT, procurement and library services for all 34 local authorities. The dissolution of An Chomhairle Leabharlanna could provide a once-off windfall to the State through the disposal of their headquarter buildings.
The two Limerick Regeneration Agencies will be dissolved with roles to be replaced through the development of the joint management arrangement for Limerick City and Limerick County Council as a step to the merger of the two Councils.
The Housing and Sustainable Communities Agency (HSCA) has been established and is operating on an administrative basis. It rationalises the functions of the National Building Agency (NBA), the Affordable Homes Partnership (AHP) and the Centre for Housing Research (CHR). The AHP and the CHR have been closed down and the NBA ceased operating in June 2011. The NBA headquarters was sold in March 2012 for €2.84 million.
Comhar (Sustainable Development Council) was discontinued at the end of 2011 and its sustainable development role has been integrated into the work of the National Economic and Social Council (NESC).
The Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill 2011 proposes to amend existing dormant accounts legislation so as to dissolve the Dormant Accounts Board and transfer the statutory functions of the Board to the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government. The Bill was published on 5 September, 2011. It has passed all stages in the Seanad and is currently at Second Stage (resumed) in the Dáil.
Initial savings in the order of €1.9 million have been achieved in the agency rationalisation process and I anticipate that this should rise significantly. At the end of March 2012, the total staff number employed by State agencies under my Department's aegis was 782.9 whole time equivalents (WTE), a reduction of 168 WTE (18%) as compared to 951 at end 2008. Agency staff numbers are targeted to fall to 712 by 2015 — a reduction of 239 (25%) on the 2008 figure.