Paul Kehoe (Wexford, Fine Gael)
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Question 65: 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. [18424/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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It is my intention to have a new round of expenditure reviews for the period 2005-07. To that end, my Department wrote to all Departments and offices in early March 2005 requesting them to propose new topics for the 2005-07 round of reviews taking into account the recommendations set out in the recent report of the expenditure review central steering committee, ERCSC, to the Minister for Finance.

The responses received from Departments and offices are now being assessed in light of the ERCSC deliberations on this matter. I will be seeking to ensure that each Department-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. The percentage of total expenditure covered by the reviews will become apparent when that process is complete.