Mr. Ed Hearne:

I might just ask Ms O'Loughlin to come in a minute on those questions about specific data not being available. On the Senator's question about the timelines and whether we are not losing sight of the medium and longer term, this report will ultimately facilitate trend information, particularly when we have more digital information with the tagging programme and so forth.

It is by no means the only analytical tool we use to look at the performance of public programmes. We also have the spending review process and focused policy analyses in different areas. These procedures have produced a wealth of information, which has taken much longer-term perspectives as well.

To turn to the forward-looking element of this activity, the more prospective analysis, investment was mentioned and the question of whether we lost ground in that regard owing to the shorter-term nature of the cycle. We have definitely addressed that aspect. We have a ten-year national development plan that is given effect by rolling five-year capital envelopes. Therefore, every Department will have a good degree of certainty concerning its medium-term investment. We are an outlier in that regard across Europe. We do not see this level of certainty provided across sectors of the public service in other countries and this is certainly a plus. Most important of all, these aspects are linked. We now have a national development plan that is embedded with and allied to the national planning framework. We very much see those elements as two sides of the one coin that will try to future-proof us in respect of how the country develops and then match that with the relevant public financial envelope. From that investment perspective, then, we think we have a much better strategic focus now then perhaps we had in the past.