‘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”.

In the next year, staff numbers will not be allowed to exceed 1,686, while the maximum budget for next year cannot top €232m. The single largest saving to be introduced next year will be in the area of North-South co-operation, at €2.2m, although the Department admitted that “any savings, in excess of the agreed 3% per annum efficiency savings, for the North/South Implementation Bodies will require the approval of the North/South Ministerial Council” and will be achieved through efficiencies and a focus on front-line services.

Staffing reductions and reductions in costs, including procurement and shared services, will result in another €600,000 in savings next year.

Regarding the Irish language, the Gaeltacht and the Islands, there was a warning that the €1.5m in savings envisaged for next year will be achieved by measures including rationalising, amalgamating and discontinuing various schemes.