Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I thank the Deputy for raising this question. The Government's commitment to introducing a more open budgetary process focused on major public goals and proven policy performance is aligned with the ongoing process of budgetary reform that seeks to increase the focus on how public money is used to provide services, and on the impact these services have on people’s lives. This commitment is also reflected in the approach towards the review of the national development plan, NDP. My Department recently published the Phase 1 Report - Review of the National Development Plan following a detailed process of engagement. This report, which outlines the various strands of the review process, provides an evidence base to inform capital investment decisions to support economic, social, environmental and cultural development throughout the country.

Another recent element of the reform process relates to the commitment to develop a set of well-being indices. The Department of the Taoiseach is leading an interdepartmental working group, co-sponsored by the Department of Finance and my Department, which is focused on developing an initial well-being framework. This framework will create a well-rounded view of how Irish society is faring.

Furthermore, it is intended that the framework will be utilised in a systematic way across Government policymaking in setting budgetary priorities, evaluating programmes and reporting progress as a complement to existing economic measurement tools. This work is the most recent in a series of initiatives that seek to increase the capacity of the Civil Service to undertake evidence-informed policy work through the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service; increase the focus on performance through the performance budgeting initiative; critically assess key policies and expenditure programmes and support evidence-informed policymaking through the spending review process; provide an opportunity for engagement through a whole-of-year budgetary process, including the summer economic statement, the mid-year expenditure report; and engagement with a broad range of stakeholders at the national economic dialogue.

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