Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 103: To ask the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism if he has instructed all of the bodies under his aegis to produce annual output statements; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2264/09]

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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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.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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I welcome the progress in this area but have one key comment on it. Here we have agencies getting State money, but very much at arm's length from us, the elected representatives. While some of these agencies come in to committees and we have an opportunity to question them, not all of them do so. When we want information on a particular agency and put a question to the Minister, we are referred back to that agency. It is very difficult to track what is happening with them. The key point is that we need more direct access to and input from those agencies so we can see what is going on.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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To some degree I agree with Deputy Upton. I have a view on many of these agencies. While the Deputy might think it is difficult to get information, I often find it hard, as the responsible Minister, and that is not healthy. As politicians we peddled a line for years, and others peddled it on our behalf, that everything has to be so-called "independent". Nobody is independent. Everybody has a specific point of view, to which they are entitled. I believe in far more ministerial responsibility and direct involvement with many of the agencies.

Many of the agencies can make the case in a very public way for funding. That is fine and I have no issue with that, but dare not any Minister question how this funding is distributed. I have issues with that; I do not like it. It is wrong that I, as an elected representative and appointed to Government as the Minister responsible for this area, sometimes find out what the agencies are up to through the national media. They show no courtesy towards the Department regarding what they are doing. I agree that there are issues which have gone beyond what the House might have intended in terms of answerability. A better balance must be found between independence as some people like it and responsibility for the substantial resources given to many of these agencies, which is taxpayers' money. Some feel that they are answerable to nobody. I do not accept that and I do not like it.

Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Will the Minister use his good offices to progress this matter? We would all welcome that and it would be in the interest of transparency and accountability for us to have access to that information. I am pleased to hear his reply and hope that he will move in the appropriate way to advance this matter.

Martin Cullen (Waterford, Fianna Fail)
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This will not be popular in many quarters but after 20 odd years in this House I believe that the people on all sides of the House are more than capable of being responsible for taxpayers' money. I do not accept that outside agencies are more responsible than we would be.