‘Efficiency’ drives €28m savings

THE Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht intends to save €28m in the next three years.

The savings will begin with €6m worth of cuts next year across areas such as arts, heritage, the Irish language and North-South co-operation, with the majority of the savings coming through efficiency measures.

However, a further €12m could be saved in the arts area alone over the years 2013 and 2014, with the department claiming this will be achieved through “efficiency, shared services, prioritisation of services, deferral of projects, curtailment of some schemes, staffing economies and administrative costs reductions”.