Sweeping changes to state agencies would cut 600 jobs

THE Bord Snip report proposes total annual savings of €238 million in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment – savings which would include the loss of 600 jobs and involve sweeping changes to Fás, Forfás, Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland among others.

Shannon Development’s role as an independent body should cease, with its functions transferred to Enterprise Ireland and IDA Ireland, it states.

The group suggests a radical shake-up of how indigenous Irish industry is supported by the department headed by Tánaiste Mary Coughlan.

In future, all enterprise and marketing for Irish-owned firms should be carried out by Enterprise Ireland, it said.

That recommendation, if put in place, would lessen the roles of County Enterprise Boards, Údarás na Gaeltachta, Leader companies, the Partnership companies, An Bord Bia, Bord Iascaigh Mhara, Teagasc, the Western Development Commission and the Irish Film Board, it said.

The report also calls for a 20% cut in the number of overseas offices deployed by Enterprise Ireland and the IDA. Link ups with Bord Bia offices could also help that process.

It stopped short of suggesting the merger of IDA and Enterprise Ireland, as previously speculated, but the transfer of marketing and other functions to them from other agencies suggests a bleak future for many of those affected by that significant transfer of power.

The report also suggested the discontinuation of funding for the Irish Council for Bioethics to save €400,000, & a move that could raise fears among those concerned about the ethical nature of some of the research coming down the line.

Other recommendations include that an “in depth” review of Fás should be carried out without delay.

Another recommendation is that double payments to those who join Community Employment Schemes should cease. No payment should be forthcoming in future from the Department of Social Welfare as is currently the case, it recommends.

The report also questioned the payment of €19.5m annually in training for unemployed who do not qualify for Jobseekers Allowance or Benefit.

It added that replacing the range of supplementary allowances with a single training grant would be more efficient.

The report said the higher training bonus of €31.80 per week to long-term unemployed can no longer be justified.

Enterprise Ireland had no comment to make when contacted last night.