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

Budgetary and expenditure reform remains a key feature in terms of public expenditure and budgetary management throughout all Departments. This important goal is progressed in a number of ways, including through day-to-day management of resources, regular engagement across Departments and the public service reform programme. It is also progressed through a range of important budgetary reform initiatives, including but not limited to: the public spending code; the national development plan; performance budgeting; equality budgeting; green budgeting; well-being budgeting; and the spending review process.

These reforms place an emphasis on broadening the approach to how public expenditure is appraised, implemented and reviewed, and also the impact of public expenditure across different cohorts of society and different categories of expenditure. They work in tandem with broader initiatives, such as the establishment of the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service, IGEES, to develop capacity and enhance the role of economics and value for money analysis in public policy making. While each reform may be considered in isolation, it is important to recognise that each represents one part of the overall reform process. Together, these budgetary reforms aim to provide a more comprehensive and thorough insight into how public services are supporting the Irish population. It is with this more complete understanding that policymakers can work towards the achievement of value for money objectives in the context of the entire budgetary process, and enhance the impact of policies and programmes on the lives of people in Ireland.

In addition, and in accordance with the Department's statement of strategy, officials are currently preparing the next phase of public service reform, to succeed Our Public Service 2020, which will incorporate priorities that were articulated in the recently published public service innovation strategy, Making Innovation Real, and sets its focus on the wider public service. My Department has also published an ambitious programme of renewal for the Civil Service. Additionally, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer in my Department is currently finalising a new public service digital strategy. These new plans and strategies will strengthen the reform agenda further and ensure that we capitalise on the positive changes and learnings that we have witnessed since the onset of the pandemic over two years ago.

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