Bord Snip Nua
Encyclopedia
The Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes (also known as ) was an advisory committee, headed by the right-wing economist Colm McCarthy, established by the Irish government
in 2008 to recommend cuts in public spending. It issued its findings, commonly known as the McCarthy report, on 16 July 2009.
The report was in two volumes. It recommended approaches to a potential €5.3bn in savings, including recommendations for 17,300 public service job cuts and a 5% drop in social welfare.
The name is intended to be humorous. Many state agencies in the Republic of Ireland
have the words an bord (meaning "the board") in their title, for example Bord Iascaigh Mhara
(the Irish Sea-Fisheries Board); "snip" refers to the cost-cutting remit of the group.
emerged in 2008. From a peak in 2007, tax revenue from VAT (value-added tax, a form of sales tax), Stamp Duty and Capital Gains Tax, all fell sharply in nominal terms. In an attempt to curtail declining income tax revenue, an additional income levy on 1% and 2% was introduced and it became clear that a cut in public spending was required. The government was facing a budget deficit of some €6 billion for the fiscal year '09.
There were thus calls for the formation of a new "Bord Snip" to identify areas for cut-backs in public expenditure. A group of experts was called together at the behest of the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan
. The Committee was a four person group, that included Colm McCarthy, an economist at University College Dublin
, and Donal McNally, Second Secretary in the Department of Finance
(prime minister), Brian Cowen
, stated that the
outlining the savings made by their departments:
Irish Government
The Government of Ireland is the cabinet that exercises executive authority in Ireland.-Members of the Government:Membership of the Government is regulated fundamentally by the Constitution of Ireland. The Government is headed by a prime minister called the Taoiseach...
in 2008 to recommend cuts in public spending. It issued its findings, commonly known as the McCarthy report, on 16 July 2009.
The report was in two volumes. It recommended approaches to a potential €5.3bn in savings, including recommendations for 17,300 public service job cuts and a 5% drop in social welfare.
Name
The committee, colloquially dubbed "Bord Snip Nua" by newspaper journalists,though this phrase was never generally used by the public, was a committee with a similar remit to one established in 1987, known as 'An Bord Snip'. Bord Snip is a mix of English and Irish words that can be translated as "snip board". Bord Snip Nua means the "new" Bord Snip.The name is intended to be humorous. Many state agencies in the Republic of Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
have the words an bord (meaning "the board") in their title, for example Bord Iascaigh Mhara
Bord Iascaigh Mhara
Bord Iascaigh Mhara or BIM is the agency of the Irish State with responsibility for developing the Irish marine fishing and aquaculture industries....
(the Irish Sea-Fisheries Board); "snip" refers to the cost-cutting remit of the group.
Background
As a result of declining global conditions, a collapse in the building industry and a contraction in bank lending, an Irish financial crisis2008–2009 Irish financial crisis
The 2008–2011 Irish financial crisis, which had stemmed from the financial crisis of 2008, is a major political and economic crisis in Ireland that is partly responsible for the country falling into recession for the first time since the 1980s...
emerged in 2008. From a peak in 2007, tax revenue from VAT (value-added tax, a form of sales tax), Stamp Duty and Capital Gains Tax, all fell sharply in nominal terms. In an attempt to curtail declining income tax revenue, an additional income levy on 1% and 2% was introduced and it became clear that a cut in public spending was required. The government was facing a budget deficit of some €6 billion for the fiscal year '09.
There were thus calls for the formation of a new "Bord Snip" to identify areas for cut-backs in public expenditure. A group of experts was called together at the behest of the Minister for Finance, Brian Lenihan
Brian Lenihan, Jnr
Brian Joseph Lenihan was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and barrister who served in the government of Ireland as Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform from 2007 to 2008 and as Minister for Finance from 2008 to 2011...
. The Committee was a four person group, that included Colm McCarthy, an economist at University College Dublin
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
, and Donal McNally, Second Secretary in the Department of Finance
Department of Finance (Ireland)
The Department of Finance is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Finance and is assisted by one Minister of State....
Panel of advisors
- Maurice O'Connell, former Governor of the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of IrelandCentral Bank and Financial Services Authority of IrelandThe Central Bank of Ireland is the financial services regulator of Ireland and historically the central bank. The bank was the issuer of Irish pound banknotes and coinage until the introduction of the euro currency, and now provides this service for the European Central Bank.The bank was founded...
- William Slattery, Managing Director, State Street Corporation (Ireland)
- Mary Walsh, former Partner PriceWaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopersPricewaterhouseCoopers is a global professional services firm headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It is the world's largest professional services firm measured by revenues and one of the "Big Four" accountancy firms....
(Ireland) - Pat McLaughlin, Business Consultant and former Deputy Chief Executive of the Health Service ExecutiveHealth Service ExecutiveThe Health Service Executive is responsible for the provision of healthcare providing health and personal social services for everyone living in Ireland, with public funds. The Executive was established by the Health Act, 2004 and came into official operation on January 1, 2005...
Brief
The TaoiseachTaoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
(prime minister), Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen
Brian Cowen is a former Irish politician who served as Taoiseach of Ireland from 7 May 2008 to 9 March 2011. He was head of a coalition government led by Fianna Fáil which until 23 January 2011 had the support of the Green Party and independent TDs.Cowen was also leader of Fianna Fáil from 7 May...
, stated that the
- The group was charged with identifying cuts in spending and staff numbers, quangos (quasi-autonomous government organisations) that could be merged or abolished and recommending ways of obtaining better value for taxpayers' money.
- The group had scope to examine the terms and conditions, tenure and pension entitlements of new recruits to the public service.
- The group was charged with reducing or discontinuing expenditure programmes with a view to eliminating the current budget deficit by 2011.
Implementation
In March 2010, Lenihan said that, of the report's 271 recommendations, the government had decided to implement 32 in full and 89 in part, with projected savings for the year estimated at €1.7b. In June, Lenihan said that, of the report's 289 [sic] recommendations, the government had by then implemented 42 in full and 103 in part, and that the report remained under consideration. Later that year, various ministers answered Dáil questionsQuestion Time
Question time in a parliament occurs when members of the parliament ask questions of government ministers , which they are obliged to answer. It usually occurs daily while parliament is sitting, though it can be cancelled in exceptional circumstances...
outlining the savings made by their departments:
| Department (office) | Minister | Date of answer (link to details) |
|---|---|---|
| Finance Department of Finance (Ireland) The Department of Finance is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Finance and is assisted by one Minister of State.... (general public service Civil service of the Republic of Ireland The Civil Service of Ireland is the collective term for the permanent staff of the Departments of State and certain State Agencies who advise and work for the Government of Ireland. It consists of two broad components, the Civil Service of the Government and the Civil Service of the State... ) |
30 September 2010 | |
| Finance Department of Finance (Ireland) The Department of Finance is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Finance and is assisted by one Minister of State.... (departmental) |
14 October 2010 | |
| Finance Department of Finance (Ireland) The Department of Finance is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Finance and is assisted by one Minister of State.... (Office of Public Works Office of Public Works The Office of Public Works is a State Agency of the Department of Finance in the Republic of Ireland... and National Treasury Management Agency National Treasury Management Agency The National Treasury Management Agency is the agency that manages the assets and liabilities of the Government of Ireland. It was established at the end of 1990 to borrow for the exchequer and manage the national debt... ) |
17 November 2010 | |
| Finance Department of Finance (Ireland) The Department of Finance is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Finance and is assisted by one Minister of State.... (Revenue Commissioners, Valuations Rates (tax) Rates are a type of property tax system in the United Kingdom, and in places with systems deriving from the British one, the proceeds of which are used to fund local government... Office, public appointments offices Civil service of the Republic of Ireland The Civil Service of Ireland is the collective term for the permanent staff of the Departments of State and certain State Agencies who advise and work for the Government of Ireland. It consists of two broad components, the Civil Service of the Government and the Civil Service of the State... , Ombudsman) |
25 November 2010 | |
| Taoiseach Department of the Taoiseach The Department of the Taoiseach is the government department of the Taoiseach of Ireland. It is based in Government Buildings, the headquarters of the Government of Ireland, on Merrion Street in Dublin.... |
23 November 2010 | |
| Agriculture, Fisheries and Food | 14 October 2010 | |
| Communications, Energy and Natural Resources | 14 October 2010 | |
| Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs | 5 October 2010 | |
| Defence Department of Defence (Ireland) The Department of Defence is the department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for preserving peace and security in Ireland and abroad... |
14 October 2010 | |
| Education and Skills | 17 November 2010 | |
| Enterprise, Trade and Innovation | 14 October 2010 | |
| Environment, Heritage and Local Government | 19 October 2010 | |
| Foreign Affairs Department of Foreign Affairs (Ireland) The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for promoting the interests of Ireland in the European Union and the wider world... |
14 October 2010 | |
| Health and Children Department of Health and Children (Ireland) The Department of Health is a department of the Government of Ireland. The Department's mission is to "support, protect and empower individuals, families and their communities to achieve their full health potential by putting health at the centre of public policy and by leading the development of... |
14 October 2010 | |
| Justice and Law Reform | 14 October 2010 | |
| Social Protection | 7 December 2010 | |
| Tourism, Culture and Sport | 24 November 2010 | |
| Transport Department of Transport (Ireland) The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport is a department of the Government of Ireland that is responsible for transport policy and overseeing transport services and infrastructure. The Department is led by the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport who is assisted by two Ministers of State... |
17 December 2009 |
See also
- Public service of the Republic of IrelandPublic service of the Republic of IrelandThe public service of Ireland consists of agencies which, while not formally part of a Department of State, provide services on behalf of the government...
- State-sponsored bodies of Ireland
- Economy of the Republic of IrelandEconomy of the Republic of IrelandThe economy of Ireland has transformed in recent years from an agricultural focus to a modern knowledge economy, focusing on services and high-tech industries and dependent on trade, industry and investment. In terms of GDP per capita, Ireland is ranked as one of the wealthiest countries in the...
External links
- What is the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes? Transforming Public Services programme, Department of the Taoiseach