Éamon Ó Cuív (Galway West, Fianna Fail)

The achievement of value for money for each of the schemes and programmes it delivers and funds from its Vote is a priority for my Department. Similarly, ensuring systems are in place to secure value for money across the bodies that are funded from my Department is also a key priority.

Against this background, my Department has put in place a range of financial monitoring, performance measurement and systems review mechanisms. These include the regular carrying out of independent audits, value for money, VFM, reviews, programme evaluations and the measurement of programme and scheme outputs against targets set in the annual output statement. The findings arising from each of these review and evaluation systems are monitored by my Department and acted upon.

I should also advise the Deputy that a programme of direct project verification and evaluation is carried out by my Department's dedicated inspection services and where value for money issues arise, these are followed up.

As the Deputy will be aware, I am committed to meeting on a regular basis the many people, groups and communities across the country that my Department serves. Where issues or concerns are raised with me on value for money issues regarding schemes and programmes delivered by my Department, or in the context of bodies funded from its Vote, I can assure the Deputy that any such issue or concern is followed up assiduously.

See this speech in context