Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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187. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he has quantified the extent to which reforms throughout the public sector are likely to yield further improved economic performance in 2019; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49189/18]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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201. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which his Department continues to monitor the performance of the public sector with a view to the maximisation of opportunities for economic growth; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49487/18]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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202. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the most effective reforms undertaken throughout the public and private sectors over the past number of years which have contributed substantially to economic progress; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [49488/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 187, 201 and 202 together.

As I have previously informed the House, since 2011 a number of significant public service reforms have been undertaken that continue to deliver improved services and value for money across a range of areas, including governance, accountability, procurement, shared services, organisational reform and property management.

The latest framework for reform and innovation in the public service, Our Public Service 2020 - which I launched last December, is a whole-of-public-service initiative designed to build on previous reforms while expanding the scope of reform to focus on collaboration, innovation and evaluation. This new policy framework has been designed to deliver better outcomes for the public and will ensure that the citizen is at the centre of policies and service delivery across the whole of the public service.

As Minister for Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform I must ensure that our fiscal and public expenditure policy is prudent and sustainable. A number of budgetary reforms have also been introduced in recent years to guide my decisions on overall fiscal policy in this regard, including fiscal rules, expenditure ceilings and spending reviews. The actions in Our Public Service 2020 will ensure that the focus of the public service is very much on delivery of quality public services, while operating within these prudent limits.

A Public Service Leadership Board (PSLB) has been established to lead the delivery of Our Public Service 2020. For the first time, both civil and public service leaders and managers will work jointly to drive the reform programme. This will ensure there is shared ownership for the actions on reform right across the public service.

Our Public Service 2020 contains an added focus on evaluation and on the importance of building a reform evaluation culture and in developing indicators to support an outcomes focus. With this goal in mind, within my Department we have established a Reform Evaluation Unit to focus on monitoring and evaluating the outcomes of reform as well as creating greater links between expenditure and reform.