‘An Bord Snip Nua’ begins €5bn task

THE new cost-cutting committee dubbed “An Bord Snip Nua” will start advising the Government immediately on areas where public spending can be reduced.

The six-member special group on public service numbers and expenditure programmes was officially unveiled yesterday and comprises three former workers of the Central Bank and one long-time civil servant. Two core members will work full time and the other four members will meet weekly.

They will come up with a final plan by next June to find up to €5 billion in public savings, including redundancies and restructuring of jobs in the public sector. All six will work on a voluntary basis, the Department of Finance confirmed last night, but “their remunerations will be worked out in due course”.