Michael Noonan (Limerick East, Fine Gael)
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Question 62: To ask the Minister for Finance if any Department failed the end of 2005 deadline for the development of performance indicators set out in his Department's recent report on a new system of business planning and performance measurement; and if all Departments have now done so. [39176/06]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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As I indicated in my reply to PQ 33214/06 of 18th October last, I presume that the Deputy is referring to my Department's Report of the Pilot Project on Resource Allocation, Business Planning and Performance Measurement of August, 2005. The conclusions and recommendations of this report informed Government thinking on reform of the Estimates and Budget process signalled in Budget 2005 and announced in Budget 2006. The report's recommendations, including those in relation to the development of performance indicators, were subsumed by the Government's reforms announced by me in Budget 2006.

As part of the reforms Ministers are required to present an annual output statement in tandem with their Estimates commencing in 2007 to assist the Select Committees with their consideration of the Estimates. The annual output statements for 2007 will set out performance output targets by programme area linked to the high level goals in Departments' strategy statements and, for 2008 onwards, will set out actual outturns against the previous year's output targets and new targets for the year under consideration. I understand from all Departments that their preparations for production of the first annual output statement are advancing to ensure that the 2007 deadline will be met.