Paul Connaughton Snr (Galway East, Fine Gael)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for Finance if he has initiated a fresh programme under the expenditure review initiative to cover the years 2005 to 2007; the percentage of total expenditure which will be covered by the aggregate of planned reviews; and the other changes he has made. [13278/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is the intention to have a new round of expenditure reviews for the period 2005-07 and my Department has written to all Departments and offices requesting them to propose new topics for the 2005-07 round of expenditure reviews. When the responses of all Departments and offices have been received and assessed for their adequacy in line with the recent report of the expenditure review central steering committee, ERCSC, to the Minister for Finance, I will be seeking to ensure that each Department and office will conduct reviews which encompass a significant proportion of their spending.

I will then bring proposals for the 2005-07 round of reviews to Government for approval in the light of the ERCSC's deliberations. The percentage of total expenditure covered by the reviews will become apparent at that stage.