merrion street

The Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, Mr. Phil Hogan, T.D., published today (15^th July, 2011) the Independent Review Group Report on Staffing Levels in Dublin City Council. The Report states that staff numbers from the beginning of 2009 up to 2014 could potentially be reduced by 18.65%. At a minimum staff numbers will have been reduced by close to 13% over this period.

The Independent Review follows on from the recommendation, contained in the Local Government Efficiency Review Group’s Report published in July 2010 that the staff numbers and the number of senior managers in Dublin and Cork City Councils should be independently reviewed, with a target of reducing numbers by at least 15%.

The Group asked Dublin City Council to develop a work plan of actions to reduce staff numbers in line with the recommendations, with a particular emphasis on the number of senior managers.

The Group in their work took account of the following:

The necessity to maintain a focus on the delivery of essential front line services to the public;

The delivery of services in the most efficient and effective manner;

The scope for sharing services and collaboration among the Dublin local authorities and with other local authorities and other public bodies in terms of service delivery and in reducing costs;

Any emerging/identified issues with respect to staffing in the other Dublin local authorities;

Government policy in restoring the national finances;

The demands on Dublin and the promotion of Dublin as the capital.

"This is a significant body of work which was undertaken by the Group and Dublin City Council within a very short timescale. I would like to thank the Group for their diligent work which was provided without any remuneration. I also want to thank Dublin City Council for their assistance and co-operation and for producing a major piece of work within a very tight timeframe."

"I recently established the Local Government Efficiency Implementation Group to further promote the efficiency agenda at local level and I look forward to the outcome of their deliberations in due course. In addition I have announced reforms of Limerick’s Local Government structure which will boost local economic activity and create savings in the process, and today I am pleased to be able to announce progress and plans for reducing numbers and payroll costs in Dublin City Council. I plan to take further initiatives to reform the local government system in the autumn."