Government defends progress in cutting quangos

THE Government defended its progress in cutting quangos last night as Fine Gael accused it of failing to deliver on a key budget promise.

In the emergency budget last October, Finance Minister Brian Lenihan announced a “rationalisation” of state bodies and agencies to save money.

Under the proposals, 41 such quangos, as they are commonly referred to, were to be cut or merged with Government departments.