An Bord Snip has recommended spending cuts of €1.8 billion, but no staff cuts at the Dept. of Social Welfare.

Social welfare payments would be reduced by 5% which would result in savings of €850 million, cuts and an overhaul of child benefit would yield savings of €513 million.

Other cuts at the department include an end to Community Employment Schemes for those already on benefit, cutting benefits for dental optical and hearing services, cutting the Family Support Agency, grading jobseekers allowance by age, changing the eligibility for Family Income Supplement and taxing household benefits package.

Bord Snip recommends budget cuts of €1.2bn and 540 staff cuts at the Department of Health and Children. The proposals include a 10% reduction in the size of the department over the next three years, changes to the Drugs Payment Scheme and the income guidelines for the Medical Card, the introduction of a €5 prescription charge for those previously receiving free prescriptions, an increase in hospital charges and changes to the Fair Deal scheme. The board also recommends greater use of generic medicines and changes to disability and mental health agencies and organisations.

A total of 6,390 staff cuts and savings of €746 million is proposed in the education sector. The changes would mean an increase in the pupil teacher ratio, cuts in capitation grants , private school grants and spending on research and development as well as cuts in the number of special needs assistants and English language support teachers. The measures also provide for the merging of smaller primary schools, cuts in school transport and cuts to third level structures.

An Bord Snip is proposing spending cuts of €305 million and staff cuts of 1,140 for the Dept. of Agriculture. This would include a radical overhaul of Teagasc, an end to the Suckler Cow Scheme, a reduction in the spending on the Disadvantaged Area Compensatory Allowance Scheme. The cuts would also mean the closure of REPS 4 and no rollover from REPS 2 and 3 into REPS 4.

The Dept. of Environment, Heritage and Local Government would suffer thirty staff cuts and €130 million in spending cuts under the proposals. This would include cuts of €100m to local government including the axing of 12 county or town councils.

The Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment would see total cuts of €237.7 million, and a reduction in staff by 594. It's proposed this would be attained by merging the regional offices and sharing the resources of Enterprise Ireland, the IDA and Fás for savings of €87 million. The rest of the money would be saved by reducing funding for science, technology and innovation activities, streamlining the functions of Enterprise Ireland and reducing training allowances for the unemployed, as well as cutting-off Fás's allocation for Services to Business and Skillnets programmes. The Bord has proposed €151 million in cuts to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, including staff cuts of 196. €64 million would be saved by cuts to Community Services Programmes, with €20.8 million saved by cuts to Gaeltacht Schemes and a reduction of €20 million in funding for infrastructure in the islands.

It is proposed a total of €127 million would be cut from the Department of Transport's budget, with the loss of 80 jobs. This would include a cut of €55 million from CIE companies, €20 million of cuts to road maintenance and a €15 million reduction to regional air services. The report recommends a further €25 million could be saved by axing the Rural Transport Scheme, outsourcing vehicle and driver testing and cutting the budget of the Road Safety Authority.

The Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism would see a total reduction in funds of €104.8 million, including a cut in funding for the Sports Council by almost €18 million and a cut in the allocation for the Horse and Greyhound Fund by €16.4 million. A total of 170 staff cuts is proposed

Cuts to the Department of Justice would total €136.4 million, with cuts in pay and allowances for staff -including Gardaí - accounting for almost half of that figure. Staff cuts would total 540.

The Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources would see total cuts of €65.6 million and staff cuts of 106. Cuts to energy efficiency schemes run by Sustainable Energy Ireland and direct funding to TG4 would comprise the bulk of the savings.

Cost-cutting measures in the Department of Defence would see a reduction in Defence Forces personnel by 500 as part of staff cuts totalling 520. It's proposed this could save €53 million.