Joe Flaherty (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

110. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will report on the Public Service Innovation Fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20402/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Public Service Innovation Fund (PSIF) which launched as a pilot in May 2019, is a competitive fund managed by the Reform Division in DPER. The Fund was established to support innovative ideas from across public service organisations.

To date 52 projects (2019 & 2020) have been supported by the PSIF totalling €1.5 million. Some projects have digitised or automated processes thereby creating efficiencies in time and money in a variety of sectors such as local government and Education. Other projects have sought to address aspects of major societal and environment issues. The common factor among all funded projects is their potential for impact on the service user or public service organisation in terms of the effectiveness of a process or in the efficiencies created. Full details of every project funded to date can be found on ops2020.gov.ie.

The Public Service Innovation Fund was open for applications this year from 4-24th February.

279 applications were received from all sectors of the Public Service. After a two-stage evaluation process, a portfolio of 21 projects were agreed to be funded this year with individual awards ranging from €25,000 to €55,000, with a total budget of €815,000. Projects are due to be announced shortly once Memorandums of Agreements have been signed with each project organisation.