Council announces Croke Park Agreement savings

FINGAL County Council has saved more than

?¬19 million over the last two years as a result of the Croke Park Agreement.

A total of

?¬16.65 million savings in expenditure was achieved for the 15-month period from January 2010 to the end of March 2011.

A further

?¬2.6 million of non-pay savings was reported after a review of the agreement from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2012.

These figures don’t even take into account the pay savings that arose from the public service retirement exodus, which came into place in February of this year.

Overall, Fingal County Council’s staff numbers have been cut by 306 since the moratorium on the recruitment of staff was introduced in March 2009.

According to a spokeswoman for the council, these cuts were made through retirements, resignations and the expiration of contracts.

“In addition, 86 posts that were unfilled at the time of the moratorium in March 2008, remain unfilled,

? she told Northside People.

While the council made significant savings through its payroll (the annual payroll costs dropped from

?¬86.3 million to

?¬71.6 million between 2008 and 2011), massive savings have also been made through non-pay expenditure.

From January 2010 to March 2011,

?¬9.6 million was saved through plant hire, fleet management, energy costs, advertising, stationary and the rationalisation of programmes.

The council has been commended for its savings particularly as no involuntary job cuts were imposed.

Dublin North TD Alan Farrell (FG) praised the management, and particularly the council’s staff for the successful prioritisation and implementation of reform measures.

“The saving of

?¬16.5 million over a two and a half year period without the need for involuntary staff cuts is a genuine example of the value of the Croke Park Agreement to the delivery of public service reform,

? he stated.

“Fingal County Council has created these significant savings through restructuring of various departments, as well as changes in the flexibility of working practices to retain services while staff numbers have significantly reduced.

“I expect that further amalgamations within Fingal County Council, as well as forthcoming reform of Local Government agencies nationwide, in conjunction with the Croke Park Agreement, will continue to yield further savings and value for money for the taxpayer, ultimately reducing our expenditure and creating a more efficient means of providing local services.

?