Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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279. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he expects further reform to play a meaningful role in ensuring prudent expenditure and good value for money in the course of 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11616/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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280. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which he expects the Exchequer to benefit from public expenditure and reform strategies in 2022; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11617/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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281. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which all Departments and bodies under their aegis in terms of public expenditure and reform continue to meet the guidelines set down by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11618/22]

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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288. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the extent to which he remains satisfied that public spending continues to proceed as anticipated notwithstanding the impact of Covid-19; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11625/22]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 279, 280, 281 and 288 together.

Under the Programme for Government, there is a commitment to continuing reform and improvement of the budgetary process, including an enhanced focus across Government on issues of performance and national well-being. This will build on reforms introduced over the last number of years, including Performance Budgeting and Equality Budgeting, which seek to enhance Ireland’s budgetary framework and ensure that expenditure is managed in an efficient and effective way and are focussed on providing the evidence base to support the efficient and effective delivery of services that have a positive impact on people's lives. This work is being further enhanced with the development of the Wellbeing Framework for Ireland that can inform efforts to improve the impact of public policy.

The ‘whole-of-year’ budgetary framework introduced means an ongoing consideration of budgetary priorities throughout the year, rather than focusing budget discussions only around Budget Day and seeks to support enhanced transparency and engagement in relation to budgetary issues. An important element of this is the publication at key points in the year of a range of documents including the Public Service Performance Report, the Summer Economic Statement, the Mid-Year Expenditure Report, and the Spending Review papers.

Given the significant level of resources to be provided under the medium term expenditure strategy, an ongoing and enhanced focus on value for money is required to ensure the benefit to the Exchequer and citizens. It is a key responsibility of every Department and Minister to manage expenditure within their respective allocations and careful monitoring of spending against profile and of progress on programmes and projects is required. My Department is in regular contact with all other Departments and Offices regarding this. Spending figures are compiled monthly and published in the Fiscal Monitor to report on spend against profile for all Ministerial Vote Groups and the main spending Departments will continue to report to Government quarterly in 2022 on spending within their areas.

Covid-19 has had a significant impact on the public finances. Some €30 billion in direct expenditure supports has been made available across 2020 and 2021 with provision for up to €7 billion in Covid-19 related spending under Budget 2022. This funding allowed Government to introduce a wide range of support schemes and measures in response to the impacts of the pandemic and extend these as necessary. Budget 2022 was prepared in line with the fiscal framework set out in the Summer Economic Statement, which allows us to meet core objectives set out in the Programme for Government of investing in our economy and society to deliver improvements in infrastructure and public services, while reducing the deficit in order to underpin the sustainability of the public finances as we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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282. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which reforms throughout the public sector remain in place to ensure accountability, collective responsibility and good value for money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11619/22]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The ongoing reform of our public services has been an integral part of my Department's function since its establishment in 2011. In view of the significant and pervasive impacts experienced as a consequence of the Covid19 crisis, the Government's programme of reform and modernisation is particularly relevant as we seek to return our economy and society to full recovery.

In accordance with my Department's Statement of Strategy, officials are currently preparing the next phase of public service reform (to succeed Our Public Service 2020) which will incorporate priorities that were articulated in the recently published Public Service Innovation Strategy, Making Innovation Real in addition to aligning with ambitions set out in the programme of renewal for the Civil Service (CSR 2030 and its recently published three year Action Plan (CSR2024), as they relate to the wider Public Service. Additionally, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer in my Department is due to publish a new Public Service Digital Strategy very soon, and this will  clearly articulate our ambitions around further embedding digitisation and the increased delivery of digital services to the public.

In order to ensure coherence and support for the reform efforts across the wider Public Service we have established the Public Service Management Group and Public Service Leadership Board, which draw on senior management from right across the Public Service. These senior level groups oversee the delivery of our reform programme for the public service. 

As regards the drive for more value for money all public organisations are required to treat public funds with care, and to ensure that the best possible value for money is obtained whenever public money is being spent or invested. This is in accordance with the Public Spending Code. Moreover, Action 5 of Our Public Service 2020 emphasises the need to ensure value-for-money principles are adhered to across the Public Service.

As part of this broader approach to ensuring value for money, the introduction of shared services and centralised procurement in earlier phases of reform continue to be embedded in the delivery of services to clients and customers. My Department continues to actively explore new areas and mechanisms to further embed reforms and efficiencies that will enhance the cost-effectiveness of public services; for example, through greater use of opportunities presented through digitisation, intelligent automation, innovation and the implementation of new ways of working and service design.

The Deputy may also wish to note that by agreeing to the Public Service Pay Agreement ‘Building Momentum’, all parties involved have committed to the ongoing reform and development of public services to meet the changing needs of citizens, communities, businesses and the staff who deliver our public services.