Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)

As the Deputy will be aware, annual output statements were introduced in 2007 as a mechanism for Dáil scrutiny of the annual Estimates of expenditure of Government Departments, as part of the Government's ongoing budgetary reform measures. The output statements link budgets to performance targets and, from 2008, they report on progress made in achieving the targets set the previous year.

Since 2007, and in accordance with the Government-approved template, the annual output statements of the Department have detailed budgets and associated targets over the three main programme areas of tourism, sport and arts, culture, film and archives. Responsibility for the implementation of policy across these three sectoral areas rests primarily with the relevant agencies under the aegis of the Department.

Accordingly, although budgets and targets for each of these agencies have not been separately identified in the Department's output statements, their performance-related budgeting is implicitly contained under each of the programme headings, reflecting the joined-up nature of policy implementation between the Department and its agencies. In its report on the Irish public service, the OECD was complimentary about the annual output statement approach, which is recognised as central to the core requirement for a more integrated, performance-centred approach to the management of resources. Nevertheless, the OECD called for enhancements to the output statement approach and this call has been reflected in the task force report, Transforming Public Services. In accordance with a recent decision of the Government, various specific proposals for enhancements, as recommended by the task force, will be implemented in the output statement for 2009 currently being prepared by the Department.

With specific regard to the recommendation of the task force that all State agencies should publish output statements relating the resources allocated to them with target achievements, I understand the Department of Finance is currently examining this recommendation with a view to issuing guidance to Departments and agencies on the modalities of its implementation. In particular, it is important to ensure consistency and complementarity among and between agencies and Departments. Accordingly, I have not as yet instructed the agencies under the aegis of the Department to produce their own output statements, pending the finalisation of arrangements at a central level.

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