Peter Mathews (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 93: To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation further to Parliamentary Question No. 170 of 19 January 2010, if he will provide the most recently available data in tabular form; if he will give details of the number of invoices paid each year by Departments; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [16905/11]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
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The reply to PQ No. 170 of 19 January 2010, included data in tabular format on payments made within 15 days by central Government Departments covering the period 15 June 2009 – 30 September 2009. In the interim period, my Department has published on its website a further six sets of quarterly returns and these can be accessed on the Department's website at the following link: http://www.djei.ie/enterprise/smes/publications.htm.

The most recent sets of returns covering the period 1 January – 31 March 2011 (Quarter 1, 2011), were published on 30 May 2011 and follow in tabular form. These returns show that:

· A total of 47,227 payments were made within 30 days by Departments in the above period amounting to €608m;

· 41,527 payments totalling €593m were paid within 15 days. These payments represent 88% of the total number of payments made by Departments;

· In value terms, 97.5% were paid within 15 days compared with 98% for Quarter 4 2010 figures;

· A further 5,700 payments or 12% were made between 16 and 30 days;

· 12 Departments were paying in excess of 90% of invoices by value within 15 days;

· The other three Departments were paying in excess of 65% of invoices by value within 15 days and

· All 15 Departments had paid between 93% and 100% of their invoices within 30 days, in respect of the number of invoices received.

Clearly central Government Departments are making their contribution to assisting the cash flow of their business suppliers. It is now the turn of the broader public sector to match this lead and play its part in assisting SME suppliers. Government is now extending the 15 day prompt payment rule beyond central Government Departments to include the Health Service Executive, the Local Authorities, State Agencies, and all other Public Sector Bodies, (with the exception of the Commercial Semi-State bodies). The new arrangement will apply in respect of valid invoices received on, or after, 1 July 2011.