Seanad debates

Thursday, 13 October 2011

Public Policy and Planning: Statements

 

1:00 pm

Photo of Lorraine HigginsLorraine Higgins (Labour)

I welcome the Minister of State to the House and thank him for his great contribution at the outset of this debate. It was most enlightening and Members are delighted to have him here. I wish him the best of luck in his role as Minister of State at the Department of the Taoiseach and as Government Chief Whip and I look forward to seeing him in the Chamber again in the coming years. I also welcome the opportunity to speak today on the importance of statistics in developing public policy and planning for Ireland's future. It is clear that policies to deal with problems must be produced which are forward-looking and which tackle causes rather than symptoms. This provides a clear perspective on the vital role statistics can play in the political process. Very often, there is disconnection between public policy and the citizens of the State. People view public policy as merely a product of Government, rather than as an expression of the democratic process. Moreover, they view it as something that is delivered to them rather than emanating from them. This issue must be addressed during the present Administration's term in government.

However, it is undeniable that the proper and efficient use of statistics leads to better policy outcomes and the Government must be mindful of this. I am a great advocate of the old adage that if one cannot measure it, one cannot manage it and it is imperative to formulate a national strategy for the development of statistics that must be fully integrated into the national policy-making processes. Policy decisions must be based on careful and rigorous analysis using sound and accurate data to ensure that Government policies are effective, which in turn will improve development outcomes for society as a whole. Some might ask what makes statistics important in policy-making but their use is the only singular way of making public policy decisions that are fully consistent with the democratic political process. The two brothers of transparency and accountability are an integral part of this and it constitutes an essential part of good governance. It ensures that sectional interests and, for want of a better word, cronies, do not control decision-making processes. It ensures that civil servants are accountable to Ministers and that in turn, Ministers are accountable to the public, whereby the latter can monitor whether a policy has been effective or otherwise. Members must be mindful that statistics help to identify issues such as poverty, inflation, air pollution, unemployment or the number of graduates in Ireland. Statistics also help to shape the design and choice of policy. They help to forecast the future, monitor policy implementation and evaluate policy impact. If policy cannot be measured, it is not good policy, plain and simple.

Good statistics provide a basis for good decision-making. They help governments to identify the best courses of action in addressing complex problems, are essential to manage the effective delivery of basic services and are an indispensable core requirement for accountability and transparency. Good statistics create an environment for development. They measure inputs, outputs, outcomes and impact, thereby providing reliable assessments of key economic and social indicators covering all aspects of development from measures of economic output and price inflation to the well-being of individuals. The litmus test of good statistics is their quality and accessibility and the efficiency with which they are produced. Good official statistics must have many characteristics. They are good only to the extent that they meet the needs of users. Official statistics must be available to a broad range of public and private users and must be trusted to be objective and reliable. Good statistics must also have the breadth and depth of coverage to meet all policy needs and to inform the public so that people may evaluate the effectiveness of Government actions.

In Ireland, the Central Statistics Office, CSO, is the main national statistical service. All censuses and surveys conducted on a nationwide basis are the responsibility of the CSO and to be fair, it does a great job. However, to make use of the findings of the CSO, it now is necessary to establish a type of steering committee with a view to determining guidelines, policy and priorities in statistical activities. Such a strategic approach would help to make available statistics for the formulation of national development policies and to align resources to improve statistical capacity at the point of priority needs. The Government and society need good statistics. Proper use of good statistics leads to better policy and development outcomes. The public wishes to have available facts and figures, as do the bodies that are consulted in respect of new policy initiatives or legislative proposals. Furthermore, whatever form one's initiatives take, such as, for example, grant schemes or regulations, one must ensure they are systematically reviewed to check that they are achieving their desired outcomes. The added value of a steering committee would be that it would provide strategic planning and priority setting within the context of new policies. As the World Bank noted in 2000, statistics:

help to identify needs, set goals and monitor progress. Without good statistics, the development process is blind - policy-makers cannot learn from their mistakes, and the public cannot hold them accountable.

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