Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Question 147: To ask the Minister for Finance the extent of grant-in-aid or payment made to the Institute of Public Administration on an annual basis for each of the past four years; the processes in place to ensure that value for money is obtained in respect of that funding; the measures taken to ensure that the funding does not constitute State aid in view of the fact that the Civil Service has its own training centre and the IPA competes with a range of other service providers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24876/08]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The figures for Grant-in-Aid to the Institute of Public Administration (IPA) over the past four years are set out below. While the amount of the Grant-In-Aid shows an increase each year, it is in fact a diminishing percentage of the yearly income of the IPA.

All Government Departments are members of the IPA with their subscription included as part of the Grant-in-Aid. An expenditure review of the Grant-in-Aid to the IPA was completed in 2005. The review recommended that the Grant-in-Aid continue with the proviso that the IPA submits an annual performance statement to the Department as part of the estimates process. The first of these statements will accompany the 2007 accounts when presented.

The IPA provides a wide variety of training, education, research, consultancy and publishing services in relation to public administration to the civil service and the public service. The Civil Service Training and Development Centre (CSTDC) has primary responsibility for training and staff development policy within the civil service and also delivers a range of training products for civil servants; however it does not deliver third level education programmes. The Expenditure Review confirmed that the Grant-in-Aid primarily supports the IPA's third level and higher level education and research activities. There is therefore no overlap between the services of the CSTDC and the grant-supported activities of the IPA.

The IPA carries out research that is focused specifically on public administration matters and/or best practices in particular areas of public sector management. The absence of the IPA would result in individual Government Departments commissioning such research at a potentially higher cost. Unlike other educational institutions many of the courses provided by the IPA have a particular focus on the public sector. The publishing function is a resource that satisfies a small but vital market; its published material is important to students, teachers and researchers. The Institute's extensive collection of books and journals makes it a major resource for the study of the public sector. Without support it is quite likely the important material produced by the Institute would not be available. The IPA is subject to the normal procurement rules when tendering for training and/or development programmes.