Joanna Tuffy (Dublin Mid West, Labour)
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We will move on to more general issues, but the guidance provided by the Department states output performance measures should not relate to internal processes, events, milestones or other deliverables. It further states there may be a need for these to be communicated in other ways but they are not outputs. That is a source of tension between the Department and the committee. We received a briefing earlier. There is consensus that we do not do enough and that we are not strong enough in holding the Government and Departments to account. We are at the bottom of the rankings in terms of budget scrutiny by committees, but as a pilot measure, the committee has taken on the task of trying to improve this. The Department of Social Protection is one of the best performers in providing transparent information. Those who have been members of other committees and everybody else are of the view that very good information is provided. It is a matter of determining how we can improve the process in order that we do not get into discussions in which everybody says what he or she thinks but in which we do not get to a point where we can say, "Here is the gap and this is what needs to be done." Arising from this discussion - this is a little unusual for everybody because it is the first time we have done it - we will probably produce a report on this issue and try to make recommendations on how we might move forward in the next set of Estimates. If there is anything to be added-----