The following are some of the main proposals in the document on public service reform published by the Government today:

- Reduce public service pay by €2.5 billion, or 15 per cent

- Cut 48 State agencies by end 2012 and review a further 46 bodies by June 2012 - secure €20 milion in savings through 'enhanced service efficiencies'

- Introduce 'performance budgeting' in all Government Departments by January 2013, ensuring allocation of resources is more closely aligned to outcomes

- Abolition of decentralisation plan announced in 2003 - 40 projects cancelled

- Reduce public service staff numbers this year by 5,000 to bring numbers below 300,000 by the end of 2011

- Reduce public service staff by 37,500 to 282,500 by 2015 from peak of 320,000 in 2008

- Standardise annual leave across the public service - proposals sent to unions

- Abolition of 'festival' days and 'race' days where they exist in some areas of civil service

- Launch of public services card for a range of services to be rolled out from 2012.

- Create a new single awarding authority for student grants including an online application process for more than 72,000 students

- Better use of technology to improve services for citizens

- Improve data sharing across public service organisations

- Rationalise property portfolio, reduce maintenance costs and release properties for cash

- Accelerate reform of procurement and consolidate ICT infrastructure

- Shared HR, payroll and pensions services in the Civil Service, to streamline operations and remove duplicate activities - commencing 2012 and to be completed by 2015

- Evaluate potential for a 'GovStat' online initiative to provide more information about services

- Streamline administration throughout the public service

- Improve performance-management for organisations and individuals

- Government Departments and major offices will develop their own high-level reform plans

- Project will be driven by Cabinet committee on public service reform