Sustainable paybill savings of €289m were achieved during the first year of the Agreement. These savings were primarily driven by a reduction of 5,349 in the number of public servants but also other factors such as reductions in overtime costs and savings from changed work practices.
Latest figures show that the numbers working in the public service have continued to fall. Overall, it is expected that a reduction of some 5,000 in staff numbers in 2011 will bring the numbers down by more than 20,000 to below 300,000 by the end of the year from a peak of 320,000 in 2008. The target for 2012 is a further reduction of 6,000.
Comprehensive information on government expenditure and public service numbers can be accessed from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform’s Databank Service.