Written answers
Thursday, 1 April 2010
Department of Finance
Departmental Reviews
4:00 am
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 74: To ask the Minister for Finance the number and subject of and value of programmes considered for value for money reviews completed in each of the past three years; the number that were completed on time; the value of savings identified in these reports; and the extent to which the savings have been implemented. [14468/10]
Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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Question 75: To ask the Minister for Finance the value for money reviews planned for 2010; the subject matter and the value of the programmes involved and the planned completion date of each. [14469/10]
Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 74 and 75 together. 2006-2008 Round of Reviews
The Value for Money and Policy Review process was launched in 2006, replacing the old Expenditure Review Initiative (ERI). In total 65 Reviews were completed during the 2006-2008 Round of Reviews. 32 reviews were not completed under the round and were carried forward into the new round of VFM reviews for 2009-2011. 19 of these 'carryover' reviews have been completed or are near completion (to February 2010). 2009-2011 Round of Reviews
In October 2008 the Government agreed to undertake a new round of Value for Money and Policy Reviews covering the three year period 2009-2011. Building on the experience from the 2006-2008 round of reviews and also taking account of the OECD's recommendations in their report on the Irish Public Service, a number of improvements were made to the process. The key changes are as follows:
there is a particular focus on four big spending sectors — Health, Education, Social Welfare and Justice;
the process is more independent, including the appointment of independent Chairpersons to oversee each review and greater Department of Finance involvement in individual reviews;
topics for review are linked to the high-level objectives in the Annual Output Statement for individual Departments;
review topics are selected annually to give Government more flexibility to target reviews each year at areas where it is believed they can add most value; and
completed reviews are to continue to be made available to the relevant Select Oireachtas Committee and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas.
In December 2008 the Government agreed a list of 12 topics to be reviewed by 12 individual Departments in 2009 under the new arrangements for the Value for Money and Policy Review initiative. The latest position on these 2009 reviews is included at Appendix 1. With regard to reviews planned for 2010, the Department of Finance is currently finalising, with individual Departments/Offices, a list of specific topics for review in 2010 under the Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative. Once this list of topics is finalised, the Minister for Finance will bring forward the list to Government for their agreement.
The latest analysis by the Central Expenditure Evaluation Unit on the impact of the Value for Money Reviews and the savings involved was carried out in December 2009 on the 41 Value for Money Reviews that have been completed since 1 August 2007. All of these reviews were part of the 2006-2008 round of VFM reviews. A full list of these reviews and a summary of their impacts are set out at Appendix 2.
| Appendix 1 — Topics for review in 2009 | ||
| Department/Office | Review topic | Progress to date |
| Education & Science | School Transport | The report is close to finalisation pending some minor re-drafting. |
| Health & Children* | Disability Services | Review is at data collection and fieldwork stage. |
| Justice, Equality & Law Reform | Asylum Seekers Accommodation | Review is completed and awaiting sign-off. |
| Social & Family Affairs | Child Support | At drafting stage |
| Agriculture, Fisheries & Food | Afforestation programme | Review postponed following announcement of three forestry policy reviews on foot of commitment in revised Programme for Government. |
| Arts, Sport & Tourism | Tourism Product Development | Review is at data collection and analysis stage. |
| Communication, Energy & Natural Resources | Greener Homes | Steering Committee has met on 8 occasions and review is close to sign-off. |
| Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs | Rural Social Scheme | Terms of Reference agreed and proceeding to data collection stage. |
| Defence# | Reserve Defence Force | At Terms of Reference Stage |
| Enterprise, Trade & Employment | Inspection activity by the National Employment Rights Authority and the Health and Safety Authority | Not commenced |
| Environment, Heritage & Local Government | Water Services Investment Programme | At drafting stage |
| Transport | Review of Regional Airport Expenditure | At drafting stage |
| *Department of Health and Children is also carrying out a VFM review in 2009 of the Economic Cost and Charges associated with Private and Semi-Private Treatment Services in Public Hospitals. | ||
| #Following on from discussions at a meeting of the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes in early 2009, the Department of Defence proposed a change to their 2009 review topic. It was agreed to reschedule a review of the Reserve Defence Forces as the Defence 2009 review topic on the basis that such a review was more likely to generate savings than the original agreed review of Training of General Service Recruits following the suspension of recruitment to the Defence Forces since late 2008. |
| Appendix 2 — Reviews completed since 1 August 2007 | |||
| Department | Title | Date Completed | Summary of Review Impacts |
| Agriculture, Fisheries & Food | Farm Waste Management | 1/11/2007 | This scheme is currently suspended having been closed to new applicants in December 2006. |
| FIRM (Food Research & Development Grants) | 5/3/2008 | Funding for FIRM in 2007 was €8.38m, in 2008 was €5.0m and for 2009 is projected to be €6.7m. | |
| Dairy Hygiene Scheme | 8/4/2008 | The scheme was part of the 2000-2006 NDP operational programme which terminated at end 2006. | |
| Marketing and Processing Scheme | 28/10/2008 | Apart from current budgetary considerations, State aid approval for this scheme has expired in terms of considering new projects to grant aid. |
| Appendix 2 — Reviews completed since 1 August 2007 — continued | |||
| Department | Title | Date Completed | Summary of Review Impacts |
| Bovine TB Scheme | 1/12/2008 | The expenditure for this scheme has been reduced in line with reductions in the incidences of disease occurrence. | |
| Bovine Animal Identification and Traceability System | 3/6/2009 | Recommendations in respect of Bovine Passports and Bovine Database Compliance Certificates are well progressed and financial benefits will accrue in 2010, with the latter expected to generate €300k in full year savings. | |
| Installation Aid Scheme | 19/6/2009 | Scheme currently suspended as part of decisions in context of 2009 Budget. The preliminary findings of the review did form part of this decision making process. | |
| Arts, Sport & Tourism | Local Authority Swimming Pool Programme | 29/9/2008 | Due to budgetary constraints no new round of this programme has been launched, but the report recommendations will be used to assist in formulating future policy in the area and will be incorporated in any new programme. |
| Irish Film Board | 13/10/2008 | The review recommendations relate to agreeing targets, including timeframes for their delivery and performance indicators, with DAST and do not have any impact on the operation of the Irish Film Board or its activities. |
| Appendix 2 — Reviews completed since 1 August 2007 — continued | |||
| Department | Title | Date Completed | Summary of Review Impacts |
| Irish Sports Council 2000-2006 | 25/2/2009 | The ISC now submit a detailed quarterly report in advance of liaison meetings with DAST arising from a recommendation in the review. | |
| Communications, Energy & Natural Resources | Group Broadband Scheme | 30/11/2007 | The recommendations of this review were addressed in the planning and implementation of the National Broadband Scheme (NBS). |
| Broadband Infrastructure (MANs) | 23/9/2008 | Implementation of the review recommendations led to a reduction in the scope of Phase II of the MAN's programme and a reduction in expenditure on that part of the programme. | |
| Community, Rural & Gaeltacht Affairs | Caiteachas Caipitil ar na hOileáin | 7/1/2008 | Staffing resources of Islands Division have been enhanced through restructuring resulting in enhanced streamlining of work practices. |
| Appendix 2 — Reviews completed since 1 August 2007 — continued | |||
| Department | Title | Date Completed | Summary of Review Impacts |
| Ciste na Gaelige | 25/9/2008 | This review covered the period 2000-2005 and most of the findings and recommendations of the review have been overtaken by subsequent developments. | |
| Local Development Social Inclusion Programme | 30/1/2009 | Many of the review recommendations will be implemented through the redesigned programme — including redefined goals and objectives, adopting lifecycle approach, clearer performance indicators, improved monitoring and independent evaluation. | |
| Defence | Clothing Procurement in the Defence Forces | 18/8/2007 | The review identified the potential for increased efficiency and effectiveness in the clothing storage and distribution system. |
| Naval Service Vessel Maintenance | 15/4/2009 | The review found there was a low incidence of unscheduled maintenance resulting in lost patrol days and the maintenance programme was appropriately focussed on supporting operational targets of the Naval Service, underpinned by an ongoing programme of planned preventative maintenance. |
| Appendix 2 — Reviews completed since 1 August 2007 — continued | |||
| Department | Title | Date Completed | Summary of Review Impacts |
| Education & Science | Youthreach and Senior Traveller Training Centres | 7/4/2008 | While the achievement of savings was an element of this review, in general it focussed on the efficiency and effectiveness with which the programmes used their resources to achieve their stated objectives. |
| Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Undergraduate Skills Programme | 7/4/2008 | Implementation of review recommendations is ongoing, with specific elements having been implemented. | |
| Teacher Education and Development | 7/4/2008 | The review recommendations focussed mainly on organisational efficiencies and effectiveness and less on savings per se. | |
| Youth Encounter Project (YEP) Schools | 8/9/2008 | Of 51 recommendations in the review, 12 have been implemented while a further 11 are in the process of implementation. |
| Appendix 2 — Reviews completed since 1 August 2007 — continued | |||
| Department | Title | Date Completed | Summary of Review Impacts |
| ICT Support Services for Schools | 30/10/2008 | ICT advisor posts were not renewed for the 08/09 academic year, in line with the review recommendation that the resources would be better employed focussing supports for ICT leadership and change within each school. | |
| Enterprise, Trade & Employment | Science Foundation Ireland | 30/7/2008 | The review made 10 recommendations which maintain the focus of existing SFI operations and are designed to improve the ongoing implementation and management of SFI's programmes and to maximise the future impact and VFM from investments. |
| Environment, Heritage & Local Government | Rural Water Programme | 12/12/2007 | The review has been taken into account in formulating the Rural Water Programme 2009 and as part of the revised scheme of operational subsidy payable to group schemes. |
| Appendix 2 — Reviews completed since 1 August 2007 — continued | |||
| Department | Title | Date Completed | Summary of Review Impacts |
| Finance | Civil Service Childcare Initiative | 22/10/2008 | The key recommendations were that no further crèches should be built under this Initiative and that the subhead for Capital expenditure (routine maintenance costs and minor capital costs) would transfer to OPW, which happened w.e.f. 1/1/09. |
| Foreign Affairs | Support for Irish Emigrant Groups Abroad | 3/8/2007 | In July 2007 the Govt set a target of increasing emigrant services funding to €34m by 2012. While it had increased from €2.9m in 2003 to €15.2m in 2007, it has remained at just over €15.1m since. |
| Support to Tsunami Affected Countries | 17/10/2007 | The review found that Irish Aid made a prompt and appropriate response to the disaster and managed its programme in an efficient and effective way. | |
| Evaluation of the Mozambique Country Programmes 2001-2006 | 14/2/2008 | The review recommendations are designed to further enhance the effectiveness of the Irish Aid programme in Mozambique. | |
| Automated Passport Project | 24/10/2008 | The review made a number of recommendations designed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the service. |
| Appendix 2 — Reviews completed since 1 August 2007 — continued | |||
| Department | Title | Date Completed | Summary of Review Impacts |
| Justice, Equality & Law Reform | Probation & Welfare Service Assistance to Voluntary Bodies | 16/7/2008 | Many of the review recommendations coincided with the new business model being implemented by the Service. |
| Courts Service — Staff Training and Development | 13/2/2009 | Following the review, the Court's Service report that they constantly seek to contribute to offices' efficiency and effectiveness through the training provided. | |
| Courts Service ICT Programme 2001-2007 | 9/7/2009 | The review findings are positive and conclude that value for money has been obtained in ICT expenditure from 2001-2007. | |
| Office of Public Works | Provision of Flood Relief Schemes | 12/11/2008 | In line with the review recommendations, OPW initiated and completed a project planning and implementation manual which incorporates measures to improve the interface between the Design Team, the Administration Unit and the Engineers involved in managing/monitoring flood relief works. |
| Appendix 2 — Reviews completed since 1 August 2007 — continued | |||
| Department | Title | Date Completed | Summary of Review Impacts |
| Revenue Commissioners | Information Technology External Resources Expenditure in 2006 | 7/3/2008 | The review concluded that expenditure on external resources is well managed and delivers value for money. |
| Social & Family Affairs | Medical Review and Assessment Services | 27/8/2007 | The review of payments to carers was subsumed in to the work being carried out in the development of a National Carers Strategy in 2008. |
| Review of Carers Allowance and Carers Benefit Schemes | 9/7/2008 | The majority of the review recommendations are being implemented under the Medical Referral and Case Management project, with a total cost of €4.3m, of which €2.1m will be spent in 2009. | |
| Transport | CIE Subvention | 30/11/2007 | The findings of the review are assisting the drafting of enforceable contracts between D/Transport and CIE companies governing the provision of service for the subvention paid to the operating company, in terms of the requirements and expectation of services regarding frequency, quality of service etc. |
| Capital Spend by Dublin Transport Office | 15/5/2008 | The review focused heavily on the QBC element of Traffic Management Grants, which is the main cost element. |
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