Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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62. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform how he plans to ensure that the OPW and its structures deliver best value for money outcomes on all projects; the timeline for the completion of any proposed reforms in this area; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5404/25]

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Moran, back to the Dáil and congratulate him on his appointment. I look forward to working with the Minister of State in order to hold him to account but also to ensure progress in his Department in the context of what is an important role.

There is reference in the programme for Government to ensuring that "the Office of Public Works (OPW) and its structures deliver best value for money outcomes on all projects". Will the Minister of State indicate precisely what he means by that and by a timeframe for the completion of that project?

I thank the Deputy for his kind words. The OPW has responsibility on behalf of the State for managing and maintaining a substantial and complex estate - comprising approximately 2,500 properties - including office buildings, Garda properties, heritage properties, visitor centres and national monuments. The OPW also has responsibility for the funding and delivery of flood relief projects across the country and works with local authorities on the delivery of these schemes.

The OPW endeavours to ensure best value for money outcomes on all projects under its management. All contracts are subject to approval, monitoring and audit to ensure that value for money is being achieved throughout the procurement and delivery process. The OPW follows public procurement best practice in respect of the large spend under its remit. This includes the use of the Office of Government Procurement framework agreements, as well as establishing its own frameworks to achieve the most economic outcomes for the delivery of cost savings. These are advertised in eTenders.ie, following the public spending code, infrastructure guidelines to ensure the necessary project appraisals are conducted.

In order to address the concerns raised on the delivery of the covered bicycle shelter project in Leinster House, the OPW is finalising guidance for its staff on the approval and oversight of capital projects where the total expected expenditure is anticipated to be less than €500,000. This guidance covers the decision-making processes and the documentation required to inform supporting these decisions. The purpose of this guidance is to support efficient project delivery, within budget, in alignment with OPW’s strategic objectives and in support of programme for Government priorities. This guidance will further enhance effective and timely management, adhering to governance and compliance standards to support the oversight of these projects. The guidance will be regularly reviewed to ensure its relevance and alignment with OPW’s evolving needs. I am advised that the guidance will be finalised and in place within the next four to five weeks.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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I thank the Minister of State. We know, and I will not recount, the different overspends around OPW projects that have been interrogated by the media, and indeed in this House, during the last period.

The OPW is a very proud organisation with a long track record of achievement throughout the entirety of the history of the State. I do not want to see the OPW, its staff and the work it does to become a watchword for waste. There has been a fair degree of opportunism about various projects around these Houses, quite frankly. That being said, that is not to say the criticisms were wrong. Accountability is important when it comes to public expenditure.

I note the Minister of State's comments on the introduction of new guidance on expenditure and the roles and responsibilities of officials at certain levels in terms of governance of projects below a certain level. I would rather talk about rules, regulations and accountability rather than guidance, because guidance is missing the point. We do not do accountability properly in this country. That has been shown in stark relief by the way in which issues around overspends and lack of compliance with governance has been handled to date.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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When the Deputy states I have introduced guidance, I am quite happy with that given that I am only two weeks in the job. I am quite happy to state that in four to five weeks we will be moving and changing how we do things. I am happy to say we get value for money. I went into government. I could have sat on the Opposition benches. I came into government to make changes. I know what it is to make a euro. I know what it is to spend a euro. I also know accountability is very much to the forefront of Government and for the Taoiseach. Accountability and value for money were very much across all of our negotiations during the programme for Government. It was the same for my colleague, the Minister, Deputy Chambers, last week. I believe in that and I believe in the OPW. I believe in the work it does. I believe in the vast majority of projects that come in on budget and on time. I am happy to say that we will see changes going forward due to the guidance I will put in place during the next four to five weeks.

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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I look forward to seeing that guidance. I assume it will be published and made available to Members of the House because it is important in respect of accountability and transparency in State organisations, and governance, more generally. This morning, and during the past 24 hours, there was a separate matter to do with the public spending code - the outrageous overspend on an IT project in the Arts Council. It is symptomatic of a wider problem across the system. I do not want to feed into any kind of anti-public sector agenda out there. I would be the last person to do that. By and large, in the Minister of State's own Department, and in the OPW, it manages 2,500 properties. The organisation does a remarkably good job and has consistently done so over the years. However, there are issues in relation to the public spending code, compliance and governance as was highlighted by the outrageous situation in the Arts Council, which was overseen by the Department of arts. They have questions to answer as well.

The Minister of State mentioned in an article in the Mail on Sunday that, in his view, the OPW has a brand issue. What does he mean by that and how does he intend to-----

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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Sorry?

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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It has a brand issue, there is an issue with the OPW brand. The Minister of State said in an article in the Mail on Sunday he wants to rebuild the brand. What does he mean by that?

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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As stated at the outset, I meant quite clearly that the OPW does very good work. I want to continue with that work and I want to promote the brand and what I believe the OPW stands for. When we talk about some of the articles in the newspaper last week about the overrunning projects, when we go to some of these sites - heritage sites or old buildings-----

Gerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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It is complicated.

Kevin Moran (Longford-Westmeath, Independent)
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----- and take off the roof - it could be a slate, glass or copper roof - the naked eye cannot see what is underneath when it comes to pricing it up. There can be other problems and issues. If I, or my predecessor, had turned around and stopped that project because it was going into an overspend, I would have Deputies in this House asking why there was a delay on this project and what was keeping it from being done. We did what we did in the best interest of getting that project up and running and we will continue to work. I put a huge emphasis on delivering value for money going forward in the guidance I have put in place.