Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour) | Oireachtas source

The process is new, as is the idea of the multi-annual framework budget. We will put that on a legislative basis for the first time in this session. Having a CRE to examine all policy options and publishing them is new. I am not surprised, therefore, it has not been fully embraced in its first year of operation.

However, I would hope that next year it will happen early enough. This is a small Department and the number of agencies under our purview is small. Every line Department calls on its own sectoral committee to invigilate offices, etc. Making a bid and having the dialogue with officials in the Department of Finance is one thing. However, those officials making a bid in public and answering questions about their expenditure, staffing arrangements, modus operandi and costs in terms of property and so on will inculcate a view that public expenditure management is not a matter for the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform alone but is a matter for everyone. I recently heard the Ombudsman for Children speak on the radio. She was a nurse in England and she said that the first time she was brought around by someone responsible and was told of cost of every procedure she was undertaking was the first time she became aware and started questioning whether she needed to do certain things. Up to then it was someone else's responsibility. This committee could start the process of ensuring everyone minds the money