Written answers
Wednesday, 24 September 2008
Department of Finance
Departmental Expenditure
9:00 pm
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 359: To ask the Minister for Finance the work completed itemising the specific projects involved in 2008 to date by the central expenditure evaluation unit under each of its areas of activity, spot checks for compliance, value for money and policy reviews and national development plan programme evaluations. [31525/08]
Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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The Central Expenditure Evaluation Unit supports and monitors roll out of the programme of Value for Money and Policy Reviews across all Departments. It also provides the Secretariat to the Central Steering Committee (CSC) which oversees the process. Completion of individual reports is a matter for the relevant spending Department. As part of its role in supporting the initiative and advising the CSC, the Evaluation Unit has recently completed a comprehensive review of the initiative which has informed the CSC's recommendations on proposals for a 2009 to 2011 round of reviews.
The Evaluation Unit has also undertaken a substantial programme of direct spot checks of individual capital projects. This programme which commenced in 2007 encompassed over 20 projects across six different Departments — Transport; Environment, Heritage and Local Government; Education and Science; Health and Children; Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and Arts, Sport and Tourism. A number of these spot checks were carried over into 2008 and this first programme of direct spot checks is now virtually complete. The projects completed with final reports submitted to Departments to date in 2008 are:
| Department | Project |
| Health and Children | New amalgamated maternity unit at Cork University Hospital |
| Health and Children | Phase 2B of Mullingar Hospital |
| Health and Children | Redeveloping the infectious diseases services at the Mater Hospital including a new bioterrorism unit |
| Health and Children | Phase 1A of the Midwestern Regional Hospital in Ennis |
| Arts, Sport and Tourism | Lansdowne Road Stadium |
| Arts, Sport and Tourism | 3 applications for funding under the Sports Capital Programme |
| Arts, Sport and Tourism | 2 applications for funding under the Arts and Culture Capital Enhancement Support Scheme II |
The Evaluation Unit is also carrying out two programme evaluations under the National Development Plan at present. These are: an evaluation of Science Technology and Innovation Investment; and an evaluation of the Local and Community Development Programme. These are the first programme evaluations under the 2007-2013 National Development Plan. The Unit also carried out a comprehensive review of all impact indicators proposed under the NDP and has made recommendations to Departments on the suitability of the indicators proposed.
The Evaluation Unit is also involved in a range of other activities including providing specialist policy analysis expertise within my Department and developing and advising on best practice in project appraisal techniques.
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