Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Wednesday, 22 November 2023
Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach
Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 11 – Office of the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform (Supplementary)
Vote 12 – Superannuation and Retired Allowances (Supplementary)
Vote 13 - Office of Public Works (Supplementary)
Vote 14 – State Laboratory (Supplementary)
Vote 17 – Public Appointments Service (Supplementary)
Vote 18 – National Shared Services Office (Supplementary)
Vote 43 – Office of the Government Chief Information Officer (Supplementary)
Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source
On the Deputy's question as to whether comparative analysis had been done, the answer is "Yes". I am happy to furnish the documentation to the committee. With regard to the delivery of general infrastructure projects, the IMF did an analysis of our ability to deliver such projects and where we are with the delivery of infrastructure in Ireland generally. The study was called the PIMA study and was done a number of years ago. We are engaging with the IMF regarding repeating that review. We can send the committee a copy of that.
Regarding the Deputy's point about productivity within the health service, IGEES, the group of economists that works across all Departments, has looked at the issue of productivity and the output from our health service in recent years. Again, we can share that work with the Deputy. It is fair to say the issues we have in measuring productivity within our health service are issues all countries are grappling with. In recent weeks, I have seen the work the UK is doing with regard to the NHS to try to understand this issue.
The Deputy's concluding point had regard to planning resources within local authorities. He raises a fair point. We do have challenges in respect of the resources our local authorities need to turn around planning applications. However, I agree 150% with what the Minister of State said a moment ago, which is that the issue is nearly never a lack of funding but the fact that, as an economy and in line with many other economies that are trying to build lots of infrastructure quickly, we do not have an abundance of the expertise in planning that economies need.
In many cases, local authorities, the office of the planning regulator,OPR, an Bord Pleanála, and the private sector in all its manifestations are competing for the same people. That is not down to lack of money, commitment or determination from the OPW or local authorities, it is a consequence of us being at full employment. We are looking at all kinds of measures to try to get the expertise into local authorities to make progress on the planning applications. I think the Deputy is making a fair point.
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