Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

A very fine public servant in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform who was listening to the Senator sent me a text to let the Senator know that Ireland Stat, a new website, was recently established on a pilot basis. It is not like the US model but we will get there. Equally it is not like the model the British Government has put through, wheredoesyourmoneygo.org, that gives that information. We have it on pilot form in four Departments which have given us all the information. During the next 12 months all the other Departments will put that information there. I agree with the Senator, there is no need to ask any parliamentary questions in future because all the information will be on the website.

Following our discussion I will organise a special briefing for the Senator with officials in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the public sector reform unit to show what we have done in this area. We are crawling at the moment but I hope within a year or so that we will have a much fuller website with all the information the Senator is seeking. Ultimately, I agree with the Senator, it is getting down to what my hospital and local school are spending on A, B and C. Why is that one hospital is so much better at doing hip replacements than another? Why is it that the accident and emergency unit in Kilkenny is better than the accident and emergency unit in Donegal? I am not sure if that is the case, I am just using it as an example. I agree with the Senator that we need that level of information because this is public money. I will organise that briefing for the Senator as a result of Ireland Stat.