Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 286: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding the establishment of the new Government Economic and Evaluation Service; the number of staff currently attached to the unit; the number of persons that have already been recruited; the number it is planned to further recruit; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [27875/12]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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The Government decided in March this year to set up the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES). The work of the Service will support Departments in evaluating policy and expenditure options; value for money exercises; cost-benefit and regulatory impact analyses; and regulatory and competition issues. Postgraduate staff with economic qualifications were targeted through an Administrative Officer (Economist) competition run by the Public Appointments Service earlier this year. Staff recruited initially under this competition are due to take up placements in the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform, the Department of the Taoiseach and the Department of Finance later this month, as well in a number of other Departments. These recruits will supplement the existing economic and evaluation expertise already within the public service, including the Central Expenditure Evaluation Unit within the Department of PE&R. After a period of training and development, some of these recruits will be seconded to other Departments with identified economic analysis needs.