Plans for abolition of State agencies 'on track'

THE GOVERNMENT’S plans to abolish almost 100 State agencies and “quangos” by the end of 2013 remain on track, according to sources.

The latest figures show that 12 agencies had been merged or abolished by the end of April this year. That is about a quarter of the 48 agencies earmarked.

A report reviewing the future of 46 agencies has been completed in the past few weeks and its findings will be presented to the Cabinet before the summer recess by the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Brendan Howlin.

A departmental spokeswoman yesterday said it was premature to publish the contents and would not say how many of the 46 agencies are recommended for merging or abolition.

The changes that have already occurred include: the merging of the two Limerick regeneration boards; the transfer of the Commission of Public Service Appointments to the office of the Ombudsman; and the integration of the Dublin Regional Tourist Authority into Fáilte Ireland.

Other proposals to be completed in 2012 include the transfer of Forfás into the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation; the abolition of all 35 country enterprise boards; and the creation of two agencies out of the five bodies that currently cover employment disputes. Another process already underway is the creation of a new body to take over the combined roles of the Equality Authority and the Human Rights Commission.

Among the proposed mergers for 2013 were the merging of the National Road Authority and the Rail Procurement Agency; the transfer of the office of the Ombudsman for Children into the main Ombudsman’s office; a similar transfer into the Ombudsman’s office of An Coimisinéir Teanga; and the joining of the three major art galleries under one management structure.