Howlin rejects criticism of extent of quango cull

ALMOST 50 State quangos will be abolished or amalgamated by the end of 2012 under the programme for public service reform. The saving to the State is expected to be in the order of €20 million.

Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin also said that in addition to the 48 changes to be made next year, final decisions would be taken on the future of a further 46 bodies by June next year, bringing the total to 94.

Among the major changes are the merger of the National Roads Authority with the Railway Procurement Agency; the merger of the Digital Hub Development Authority into Enterprise Ireland and the IDA; and a partial merger of the Ombudsman for Children’s office into the Ombudsman’s office.

The three major galleries in Dublin and Cork will be combined, and the office of An Coimisinéir Teanga (Language Commissioner) will also be merged into the Ombudsman’s office.

Mr Howlin dismissed the notion that the so-called “quango cull” had been more moderate than promised, given that more than 30 adjustments had already been announced – some by the previous government as far back as 2008. Fewer than 20 of the mergers and abolitions for next year were not previously announced.

He said the review next year for further agency mergers and abolitions was real and would be advanced.

He also accepted that the savings for the first phase of the cull were modest enough at €20 million per annum but argued that the savings would “ratchet” up over time.

He said there were other criteria which were important including more modern service delivery, efficiencies and the avoidance of duplication.

Mr Howlin also disclosed that the Government was going to take on board the suggestion first floated by Fine Gael Minister Leo Varadkar that a “sunset clause” be a prerequisite for new agencies being established from next year.

Every new agency will be given an indicative lifespan, to be decided on a case-by-case basis. He cited the example of the Fiscal Advisory Council, which will be wound down once Ireland exits the recovery programme overseen by the European Union and the IMF.

More than 30 major mergers and abolitions of bodies had already been announced including the reduction in the number of vocational education committees from 33 to 16; the merger of the Competition Authority and the National Consumer Agency; as well as the rationalisation of the five industrial relations bodies and courts into one agency.

The Equality Authority and Human Rights Commission will also be combined into one body.

Some of the major bodies that will be reviewed early next year are the National Milk Agency, Bord Iascaigh Mhara and Shannon Development, and the Commission for Communication Regulation may be merged with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.

Another big merger on the cards is the Environmental Protection Agency and the Radiological Protection Institute of Ireland.

Reviews will also take place in relation to absorbing the Health Information and Quality Authority into a new Patient Safety Authority, which would also bring the Mental Health Commission under its remit.

The existence of the National Paediatric Hospital Development, set up to oversee the establishment of the new national children’s hospital, will also be reviewed.

The greatly expanded Ombudsman’s office may also absorb the office of the Data Protection Commissioner.

There would be a knock-on effect if the National Economic and Social Council was abolished. It has already absorbed the functions of the abolished climate change and sustainability agency Comhar.

Conradh na Gaeilge yesterday said the abolition of the Language Commissioner would tear the heart out of the Languages Act 2003. Its general secretary Julian de Spáinn said: “This is a most backward decision on the Irish language for many years.”

In a statement, the Digital Hub Development Agency said its cluster comprised 80 companies which employed 700 people. Its chief executive said it was important to point out that the hub remained open for business and would continue to do so beyond any merger.