Overview

OVERVIEW

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATIONS, ENERGY AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Background

The mission statement of the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources is to promote the development of Communications and Energy infrastructure and markets that contribute to sustainable economic development and to harness our natural resources in a productive and environmentally responsible manner.

The current structure with staff numbers (full time equivalents) for each area of the Department is as follows:

Total including Secretary General 260.29

In general terms, the Department is focussed on policy advice and delivery across all areas of responsibility, with additional specific direct responsibility for procurement and delivery of certain projects. The Department also provides professional services and undertakes regulatory functions (mainly in the Natural Resources sector). There are seven Commercial State Bodies and eleven Non Commercial State Bodies which report to the Department – details of these are set out at the end of this Overview Chapter.

The core Divisions of the Department are Communications, Energy, Broadcasting, Postal and Natural Resources (including the Geological Survey of Ireland), supported by a range of corporate services including HR, Finance and IT. The current staffing of the Department is 260.

The Department is engaged in activity which is central to economic and social development and, in particular, the delivery of key elements of Government policy including the following:

• Implementation of the three key pillars of energy policy – security of supply, environmental sustainability and competitive energy supply.

• Promoting the development of a modern telecommunications infrastructure (including broadband) through promotion of the appropriate regulatory frameworks and intervention (subject to resource availability) in a targeted way in case of market failure.

• Oversight of stakeholder interest on behalf of the State in key State bodies, commercial and non commercial, to promote maximisation of value for the taxpayer and optimal investment by these bodies consistent with Government policy.

• Promotion in cooperation with the various regulators of efficient and effective markets in the various sectors under the aegis of the Department.

• Exploitation of natural resources (mineral and offshore petroleum and gas) and discharge of important regulatory functions in that regard.

• Contribution to the creation of a knowledge-based digital economy in conjunction with other key Departments e.g. DETI, DES.

• Responsibility for Broadcasting and Postal Policy; including oversight of Public Sector Broadcasting Companies and the growing policy area of the intersection of Broadcasting/Media Outlets and Internet based communication channels.

In addition the Department is either overseeing or implementing complex procurements or projects in certain areas (e.g. MANs, NBS, Introduction of Postcodes, Analogue Switch-Off).

The Department is central to delivery of policies which have increased in strategic importance in recent years, are very important to future economic development and under which demanding targets have been set for the future. These include renewable energy and energy efficiency programmes, intervention in the provision of broadband in situations of market failure, general promotion of the SMART and digital economy, various broadcasting initiatives and overall policy responsibility in highly dynamic technical and complex areas.

Administrative Resources

Whilst stressing the developmental role of the Department, strong focus must also remain in the key day-to-day tasks of the Department including:

• In co-operation with others, ensuring the ongoing and efficient functioning of our key energy, telecommunications and broadcasting infrastructure; this is an imperative to ensure ongoing economic and social development.

• Contributing to the drive for efficiency in the Department and its Agencies and staying within strict financial limits.

The following is the trend in administrative resources available to the Department in recent years.

Staffing

The following table sets out the staffing complement of the Department from end 2007 to mid 2010.

The administrative budget allocation for the Department for the years 2007 to 2011 is as follows:

Programme spend in the Department has evolved as follows over the same period to enable the Department to discharge the priorities set out above:

Delivering Productivity and Efficiencies

As the above data testifies the Department is currently administering an enhanced expenditure programme with significantly less resources. In essence, the Department has continued to deliver a very challenging work programme across policy initiatives, legislation and schemes despite a 21% drop in staff numbers – and a 31% reduction in the Departmental pay budget – since the end of 2007.

In addition, the Corporate Support areas have embarked on a continuing value for money and cost reduction strategy across both non devolved and devolved budget lines in the Administrative Budget. Through detailed analysis, cost review, renegotiation, competitive tendering, use of framework and technology dividends annual non-pay savings of over €1m have been already achieved. These savings encompass services such as telecoms (land line and mobile), security, catering, use of taxis/couriers, publications and staff training. In addition Travel and Subsistence costs have been substantially reduced.