Carol Nolan (Laois-Offaly, Independent)
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946. To ask the Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth the details of each value for money and policy review conducted by his Department from 1 January 2019 to date; if external costs were incurred; if so, the details of such costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [30877/21]

Roderic O'Gorman (Dublin West, Green Party)
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The Public Spending Code, published by the Department of Expenditure and Reform, provides guidance for evaluation methodologies used across the civil service, including Value for Money and Policy Reviews.

The Value for Money and Policy Review initiative (referred to as ‘Value for Money Reviews’ in the Code) is a systematic process of evaluation conducted by government departments, under guidance from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.

My Department has not conducted one of these reviews in the timeframe referred to by the Deputy.

The Research and Evaluation Unit is the focal point for the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) in my Department. Officials within this Unit are responsible for conducting a wide range of evaluation projects, including those described in the Public Spending Code. Evaluation reports are published on my Department's website and on the IGEES website. Other types of evaluation are conducted by various policy units from time to time across the Department to inform the review of policy and schemes for example.