Written answers

Wednesday, 17 February 2021

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform

Departmental Strategy Statements

Photo of Gerald NashGerald Nash (Louth, Labour)
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189. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the new strategy statement for his Department; the way his Department will make climate action a core pillar of its new strategies as stated in the programme for Government; if he has directed each of the agencies and offices under his remit to adopt a climate mandate under which those bodies will seek to support climate action within their own operations and among their clients and suppliers; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8059/21]

Photo of Michael McGrathMichael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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My Department published its Statement of Strategy 2021-2023 on 19 January 2021. It is available on the gov.ie website at this link:

The Strategy has been informed by my priorities and relevant commitments in the Programme for Government and the overall strategic context in which my Department operates.

The Department’s Mission for 2021-2023 will be to serve the public interest through sound governance of public expenditure and by leading and enabling reform across the Civil and Public Service. In support of this mission, it will pursue two strategic goals, as follows:

- To manage public expenditure at sustainable levels in a planned, balanced and evidence informed manner, in order to support Ireland’s economic, social and climate goals; and

- To drive reform and innovation across the Civil and Public Service to improve service delivery to the public, and to enhance strategic policy making and public governance structures.

The Department’s goals, and the actions underpinning them, have been set at a relatively high level and provide a robust framework to support the implementation of the Department's broad remit. However, the Statement of Strategy includes Climate as one of its core pillars, noting that the strategic context in which the Department operates is shaped by, inter alia,

"The step up in ambition at EU and national level with associated commitments and targets on climate action and the transition to a low carbon economy, impacting on all sectors of Government and our economy".

Climate is already a key consideration in determining the Department’s priorities and the forthcoming Climate Action Plan will set out in detail the specific actions that my Department and the bodies under its aegis will be taking to meet the Government’s ambitious climate agenda.

With regard to the Climate Mandate, the development of this mandate is a matter for the Minister for Environment, Climate and Communications. Once the mandate has been developed and approved by Government, it will be applied to my Department and the bodies under its aegis.

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