Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 753: To ask the Minister for Education and Science the estimate of the money saved to the Exchequer in 2007 by the use of the management information framework system; the way this saving was made; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34302/07]

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 754: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if the management information framework system has been fully rolled out in her Department; the use being made of performance indicators, the costing framework and management reports provided by this; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [34317/07]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 753 and 754 together.

There is no current analysis available that quantifies the savings that have resulted from the implementation of the Management Information Framework (MIF) in the Department of Education and Science. In general the development of the MIF has contributed, in line with its objectives, to improved financial management, performance measurement and accountability. Overall financial service has been improved with greater efficiency in terms of processing financial transactions and accounts, higher levels of productivity, provision of better quality information to managers and improved customer service.

The work to date on implementing MIF has mainly focused on the installation, maintenance and development of a modern Financial Management System (FMS). The FMS replaced a mostly manual system and has substantially modernised the Financial Management of the Department. Further developments of the FMS were dependent on an upgrade of the system. This upgrade was completed recently and the planned developments will proceed from 2008 onwards.

In drafting a framework for the identification and development of performance indicators the focus has been on a number of categories of indicators that will be applicable across the various sectors of the education system. The categories identified include provision, participation, quality in learning outcomes, inclusion and customer satisfaction. Indicators, such as pupil/teacher ratios, retention rates or levels of funding are in general well developed and in use within the Department. The Department's Statement of Strategy 2008-2010 will set out, at a system wide level, the intended key indices of performance for each of the main elements of the education system over the coming years.

The specification of the Department's FMS provided for a costing framework that classified expenditure on a similar basis to the Department's vote e.g. administrative expenditure and programme expenditure. Programme expenditure is further subdivided per sector: First Level Education, Second Level Education and Third Level Education. Programmes are charged with direct costs but significant work remains to be completed in distributing indirect costs.

There is a management reporting framework within the Department and while a number of reports are available on the system this module of the FMS has not been fully implemented. It is intended that progress will be made on the development of improved management reports on the FMS by identifying, defining and designing reports of significant value as resources allow and expertise develops.