The Minister for Finance is due to receive the final report of the body identifying cuts in the public service later this week. It is not clear when it will be discussed by ministers, with suggestions that a special cabinet meeting may be called next month.
The body, dubbed An Bord Snip Nua, is chaired by economist Colm McCarthy, with back up from the Department of Finance. It has been looking at staff numbers and spending in the public service.
Reports have suggested a wide range of targets identified by the group, with social welfare spending high on the list. But Government sources were cautioning against talk of €1.5 billion being cut from what is arguably the most politically sensitive area of all. Reports of tough restrictions on Garda numbers being urged were also being discounted.
What are sure to be in the firing line are 'quangos' - specialist bodies that the Bord feels can be re-absorbed into the mainstream civil service. And there could be a radical re-distribution of the responsibilities of some Government departments. But first ministers have to read, discuss, and ultimately decide on what is certain to be a bag of political hot potatoes.
'Smart economy' panel appointed
Taoiseach Brian Cowen has appointed a taskforce to support the development of the 'Smart Economy', the Government's economic renewal plan launched last December.
Mr Cowen said the panel would advise the Government on how best to present Ireland as an international innovation hub.
The Taoiseach said he wanted to make sure that jobs were created in what he called the smart economy - high-value, export led jobs making use of research, science and technology.
The 21-person taskforce to advise the Government on how to develop this framework will be headed by Dermot McCarthy, secretary general to the Department of the Taoiseach.
Other members include senior academics and bosses at the likes of Intel, HP, Cisco, KPMG and Johnson and Johnson.
'The lesson from severe global recessions in the past is that as well as weathering the economic storm, countries need to restructure their economies to target the next wave of economic growth,' commented Taoiseach Brian Cowen.
'We need to think smart, work smart and be smart in order to build our future,' he added.
Membership of the Taskforce
Dermot McCarthy, Secretary General, Department of the Taoiseach (Chair)
Lionel Alexander, Vice-President & General Manager of Hewlett Packard (Manufacturing) Ltd and Chair of Enterprise Feedback Group
Professor Don Barry, President, University of Limerick
Dr Hugh Brady, President, University College Dublin
Damien Callaghan, Investment Director, Intel Capital
Michael Carmody, President, Institute of Technology Tralee
Dr Steven Collins, Co-Founder & CTO Kore Virtual Machines
Ned Costello, CEO, Irish Universities Association
Joe Harford, Chair of High Level Action Group on Green
Enterprise
Dr John Hegarty, Provost, Trinity College Dublin
Dr Chris Horn, Co-founder & former CEO Iona Technologies
Dr Brian Kelly, Founder & CEO, Celtic Catalysts
Dr Burton Lee, Director, European Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, Stanford University, School of Engineering, Managing Partner Innovarium Ventures
John Lynch, CEO, Merrion Pharmaceuticals
Tara MacMahon, IP Lawyer
Dan MacSweeney, CEO, Carbery
Bryan Mohally, Vice-President Supply Chain Operations Europe, Johnson and Johnson
Mark O’Donovan, Director, Raglan Capital
Barry O’Sullivan, Senior Vice President, Cisco Systems
Dr Paul Roben, President, Celtic Consulting
Anna Scally, Partner, KPMG
The Taskforce will also include the Heads of Enterprise Ireland, IDA Ireland, Science Foundation Ireland, the Higher Education Authority and representatives from the Departments of Education and Science, Enterprise,
Trade and Employment, and Finance.
