Terence Flanagan (Dublin North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 494: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government his priorities for the year ahead and the achievements from the Programme for Government to date; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36205/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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In accordance with the Public Service Management Act 1997, my Department has published a Statement of Strategy 2011-2014, which is available on the Department's website – www.environ.ie. A full list of Programme for Government commitments for which my Department has lead responsibility is included as an Appendix to the Statement of Strategy. The Strategy is fully aligned with the Government for National Recovery Programme 2011 - 2016 and the commitments contained in the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support. By its nature, the Statement is a high level document setting out how the Department will, over the next three years, implement the Government's high level policy objectives and Programme for Government commitments, and progress its longer-term policy goals, as set out in the relevant National Strategies. High level objectives, key strategies, outputs and context and impact indicators by which performance will be measured have been set out in the Statement of Strategy. The Revised Estimates for Public Services, published by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in February 2012 (available on www.per.gov.ie ) also detail the key output targets for my Department.

The Department recently reported on progress in implementing its Strategy, including Programme for Government commitments, in its 2011 Annual Report (also available on www.environ.ie). In addition, an integrated annual progress report, under the Public Sector (Croke Park) Agreement 2010-2014 for my Department and its agencies was published on my Department's website in May 2012 and it reports progress on certain Programme for Government commitments. My Department also contributes to central reporting on specific Programme for Government commitments. For example, my Department reported progress on implementing Programme for Government commitments in the recently published Programme for Government: Annual Report 2012, Year 1: Stability (available on www.taoiseach.gov.ie).