. hamster House Houses of the I Tel +353 2 ma . 3220/3/09/5 Mr. John Palmer, Secretary, Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Pro grammes South Block Merrion St. Dear Mr. Palmer Correspondence between the Minister for Finance and the Ceann Comhairle concerning a proposed meeting between the Special Group and the Secretary General of this Of?ce refers and I enclose for the information of the Special Group a completed summary evaluation paper in respect of the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. As policy decisions in relation to services, spending, staf?ng etc. of the Houses of the Oireachtas are made by the Commission, any changes in expenditure to be made as a result of the engagement by the Secretary General and senior of?cials with the Special Group will require input and decision by the Commission. The Commission consisting of 8 members of the Houses one being the designated representative of the Minister for Finance, the Secretary General, the Cathaoirleach and chaired by the Ceann Comhairle came into existence on 1 January 2004 and is the statutory body independent of Government, though a part of the civil service, responsible for providing services for the running of the Dail, Seanad and Committees and for providing services and facilities to the members of both Houses. Unlike those Government Departments and Of?ces that are funded annually by vote of the Dail, the Commission operates on a three?year budget provided out of the Central fund and renewed every three years by an amendment to its primary legislation the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Act 2003. The budget does not provide for capital expenditure. 2009 is the ?nal year of the Commission?s second three?year budget since its establishment in 2004 and the budget sum for the period 2010?2012 will be negotiated in the coming months with the Department of Finance. It is fully acknowledged that the budget made available for the running of the Houses of the Oireachtas (equivalent to 0.2% of annual Government spend) for the next three years will have to re?ect the present economic realities and this Of?ce currently has speci?c initiatives underway to review and ensure the ef?cient use of resources, including staff, provided by the Commission. Please note also, by way of information for the Special Group, that the Commission does not have ?pro gramme? expenditure in the normal sense of the word as it applies in most Government Departments and agencies. The greater part of Commission spending relates to payroll (salaries of civil servants, members and their staff, pensions of members), statutory allowances and expenses of members and provision of ongoing administration and services to the Houses and their members by this Office (ICT, broadcasting, etc). The summary evaluation paper has been modi?ed to re?ect these circumstances and shows the Commission?s expenditure framework in three-year blocks from 2004 to date and as projected to 2012. More detailed information concerning expenditure, savings and staff numbers can be provided at the meeting if required. I am also enclosing for the information of the Special Group a copy of the 2009 estimate of Commission expenditure set out in Departmental vote subhead format and which clearly illustrates where the greater part of recurring Commission expenditure lies. Please contact me if you have any query in relation to these documents or if any further information is required by members of the Special Group in advance of the meeting scheduled for 10am on Wednesday, 22 April. Yours sincerely I .I i f. 3 Alan Murphy Head of Finance an \a gement Information Of?ce of the Houses of the Oireachtas 15 April, 2009 1. Main Areas of Spending unsv: or 0 Summary Evaluation Paper - Houses of the Oireachtas Commission 2004-2006 Outturn (?111) 2007?2009 Outturn Expenditure Outturns; 2005 2006 1 .- 2 Otherservices .. . 4. Sec Asst?Salaries 6. Members? Expenses and Allowances .- 2004 1 3. 829 8-928 8.502 . 1 3:91 .8 15.480 I 8 . 25 13.790 16.750 I . 7.860 200 I I 9 19.008 18.752 8.758 :1 3-Year 282 372(Est) ,?Pay. - Exchequer ensions* Included Total Gross Expenditure} a (I ., Number incuded i xchquer Pay (Whole Time Equivalents on 1.1 anuary): 2004 ??13 45.6551? WTE 5.514911503 .. .16 0-2006 WTE WTE 10.941 2007? 2 . 962 '?2008 (WTE I 0.0 1 92009 WTE - Other Public Servants '?335.? 65 65 7" If paid ?om the Vote 2. Summary of Savings Proposed 2007-2009 Allocation (?393m) 2010-2012Allocation 3?Year Saving (Current and Future) ?28m of 2007?09 budget) of 2007-09 budget) ?12m Staff surpluses, WTE annual 15 4 4 29 3-Year 15 37 *Subject to input and approval by Houses of Oireachtas Commission and discussion with Department of Finance and based on retaining annual expenditure for 2010-2012 at level of 2009 outtum (estimate above less 2009 savings below) and subject to future savings below. 3. Speci?c Proposals 2009-2012 2009 2010-2012 ?m WTE ?m WTE Commission Savings Recommended to Minister for Finance - March 2009* 4 4; 1.6. 19' 3.2 Committee Travel and already implemented administratively) .1 .8 - Ministers and. Manners? ofSt?ate Budget Measures April 2009 3'14 Members? Travel Expens??se n?leage/overnights - a 2.6 3. Members? Other Expenses and Allowances phone/envelopes 2. 3.6 COmmitte'e- Chairmen?s etc. Salary Allowances 2 3. 7 Payroll cost of Secretarial Staffing for 5 former Ministers of State - e; - Administrative Savings 3.18 Of?ce Ef?ciency Review Qperations I 3.9 Vacancies and Staffing Efficiencies (exc.Committees): 43posts 3.10 Projects Cut'or Not ProCeededWit-hin 2009 . 710% WTE .15, .1 Total Expenditure Savings 6.5 11.8 Total Staff Surp luses WTE: A number of Commission Recommendations have been implemented as Budget Measures in April 2009 **Administrative savings are subject to input and approval by the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission (C) (C) (19) Houses of the Oireachtas Commission Breakdown of 2009 Estimate by Subhead ?000 ADMINISTRATION Salaries, wages and allowances in respect of members of staff of the Houses of the Oireachtas 26,064 Travel and subsistence 888 Incidental expenses 9,461 Postal and telecommunications services 2,965 Of?ce machinery and other of?ce supplies 18,428 Of?ce premises expenses 1,71 1 Value For Money and Policy Review 20 Sub-Total Mdminish?ation) 59,53 7 OTHER SERVICES Payment in respect of catering and bar staff 1,758 Expenses of delegates to other parliamentary assemblies 429 Televising of proceedings of Dail Eireann and Seanad Eireann and other services 3,698 Grant?in-aid in respect of inter?parliamentary activities 367 Grant?in-aid to British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary Body 270 Allowances to or in respect of former members of the Houses of the Oireachtas 106 Grant to Irish Parliamentary (former Members) Society 55 Grant?in?aid in respect of "Ciste Pinsean Thithe an Oireachtais" 9,402 Pension scheme for secretarial assistants 679 Expenses relating to Oireachtas Committees 2,244 Sub-Total (Other Services) I 9, 008 SALARIES OF MENIBERS OF THE HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS (INCLUDING OFFICE HOLDERS AND OIREACHTAS COMMITTEE CHAIRPERSONS) AND OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT D?il Eireann 18,248 Seanad Eireann 4,517 European Parliament (including superannuation payments) 1,930 Sub-Total (Illembers? Salaries) 24, 695 PAYMENTS IN RESPECT OF SECRETARIAL ASSISTANCE FOR ICE HOLDING MEMBERS OF THE HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS Dan Eireann 16,346 Seanad Eireann 2,406 Sub-Total Wembers? Secretarial Assistance) 18, 752 TRAVEL EXPENSES OF MENIBERS OF THE HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS D?il Eireann 3,955 Seanad Eireann 1,938 Committee travel 509 Sub-Total Members? Travel) 6,402 OTHER ALLOWANCES AND EXPENSES OF MEMBERS OF THE HOUSES OF THE OIREACHTAS D?il Eireann 7,274 Seanad Eireann 1,484 Sub-Total Wembers?Allowances) 8, 758 TOTAL 137,152