18.11.11
Public sector cuts for Ireland
The Irish Government has announced plans to reform their public service, by cutting staff numbers, reducing the number of state agencies and scrapping plans for decentralisation programme.
The proposals also include initiatives in areas such as technology, procurement, property management and human resources designed to reduce costs and eliminate waste.
Around 297,000 people currently work in the Irish public sector- a number which will be reduced by 23,500 by 2015. The Government estimates that this could save 2.5bn euros.
Leave arrangements are also set to change, as workers will now get a maximum of 32 days. New entrants will have their entitlement capped at 30 days of leave.
Additionally, 48 state agencies will be either merged or abolished by the end of 2013, with a further 46 bodies to be reviewed next June. Taoiseach Enda Kenny said: “Today we draw a line under the decentralisation programme, one of the most ill-judged and badly planned ideas of the last government, once and for all.”
He continued: “We lay out our vision here for a new, leaner, smarter and better public service. One that will be better equipped to promote job creation and to deliver top quality public services.”
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