Agencies to go but most services will remain

THE number of state agencies will be reduced by 48 by the end of next year but few of the services will be abolished. Instead, most will be merged with other bodies or absorbed into government departments.

For example, the Competition Authority and National Consumer Agency will be merged into a single Consumer and Competition Authority that will serve both functions.

The Government acknowledged that many of the 48 quangos had already been earmarked for abolition by the previous administration.

But Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin said the Government would actually follow through with the quango cull, unlike its predecessor.

“What I’m saying today is that the organisations we’ve identified to be rationalised — the 48 — will happen in the course of next year,” he said.

In addition to the 48 agencies that will be “rationalised” by the end of next year, he said the Government would review an additional 46 to see if they should be cut too. The review will be completed by June.

Mr Howlin said the rationalisation process would “deliver enhanced service efficiencies, together with ensuring a more focused and democratically accountable public service”.

The 48 agencies include:

- The National Roads Authority, which will be merged with the Railway Procurement Agency.

- The Environmental Protection Agency and the Radiological Protection Institute, which will be merged.

- Bord Iascaigh Mhara, the functions of which will be transferred into the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

- The Limerick Regeneration Agencies, which will be merged into Limerick’s local authorities.

- The office of the Coimisinéir Teanga which will be merged with the Ombudsman’s Office.

- The Irish Museum of Modern Art, the Crawford Art Gallery, and the National Gallery, which will be combined “while retaining separate identities”.