Growth in State agencies criticised

THE GOVERNMENT is planning to create 11 new State agencies despite promising public service reform, Labour leader Éamon Gilmore said yesterday.

He said that the new agencies were proposed in the Government's legislative programme.

"The OECD report, published last week, drew attention to the huge growth in the number of such agencies and noted that there were no official figures available for their number, either today or 10 or 20 years ago," he said.

"However, some estimates have put the figure as high as 800."

Mr Gilmore said Fianna Fáil leader-designate Brian Cowen had promised to review the role of those agencies.

He said the proposed new agencies were: the broadcasting authority of Ireland; the adoption authority; the property services authority; the Dublin transport authority; the institute of sport; the Curragh of Kildare authority; the court funds office; the national employment rights authority; the student grants appeal boards; the legal services ombudsman, and the charities regulation authority.

These new agencies, he added, would require staff, offices, IT equipment and a range of other facilities all costing public money.

One of his major concerns about the explosion of State agencies was that it greatly limited the areas to which there was political accountability to the Dáil.