Car-pool system for ministers to save €5.5m

FG REFORM PLAN:FORMER taoisigh will lose access to their State cars and drivers on leaving office as part of Fine Gael's economic reform proposals.

The party will introduce a car-pool system for government ministers to halve the cost for cars and drivers from €11 million to €5.5 million, if elected to government.

Spokesman on economic reform Richard Bruton introduced a package of reform proposals on Saturday which included opening up senior public sector appointments to “fresh blood”, ending the appointments of “political cronies” to State boards, requiring all lobbyists to register with the Standards in Public Office Commission and reversing the restrictions on the Freedom of Information Act.

The ministerial transport changes will allow for the use of the government jet “only when no cheaper alternative is available”. Individual government departments will have to pay the cost of the jet.

The car plan will replace Garda drivers with a pool of civilian drivers and only the taoiseach, president and minister for justice would retain their Garda drivers, for security reasons.

The right for life of former taosigh to a car and driver will end with the new system.

Currently, five former taoisigh have cars and Garda drivers. Mr Bruton said that in office Fine Gael would introduce a tender within 100 days for the appointment of “a civilian-operated private system for ministers”.

He also proposed that in future one-third of all senior public service appointments would be open to external candidates.

The five-point reform plan launched on Saturday also includes a requirement for all State board directors to resign within six months of a new government taking office.