Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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The staff of my Department have worked collaboratively on a wide range of policies and initiatives to deliver on the strategic goals set out in the Department's Statement of Strategy 2021-2023 and the Department’s new Statement of Strategy 2023-2025 to drive the delivery of better public services, living standards and infrastructure for the people of Ireland. This includes the strategic management of well-targeted and sustainable public spending and the negotiation and allocation of €95.9 billion of funding for 2023.

In addition to Strategy implementation, in this period, my Department has also drafted policy in response to the global health pandemic, supporting an equitable, digital and green recovery, blended working arrangements, opening our country to those fleeing a terrible war and the cost of living crisis in an appropriate, considered and timely manner to continue to safeguard the sustainability of public expenditure.

Some of the main policy achievements over this period include:

• The publication of the revised National Development Plan (NDP) – the largest and greenest NDP in the history of the State with a particular focus on responding to the key issues of public housing provision and climate.
• The update of the Public Spending Code to strengthen our approach to capital expenditure management. This included the introduction of the External Assurance Process (EAP) and Major Projects Advisory Group (MPAG).
• The commencement of the Data Sharing and Governance Act 2019.
• Leading on digital transformation including the publication of the National Artificial Intelligence strategy to drive digital adoption and provide transformative, disruptive technologies and the publication of Connecting Government 2030: A Digital and ICT strategy for Ireland’s Public Service which sets out an approach to deliver digital government for all.
• Worked collaboratively with other Departments in designing the first Civil Service Blended Working Framework which was launched to support Civil Service organisations to develop their own blended working policies.
• In response to rising inflation and increases in the cost of living, an extension to the current Public Service Agreement, Building Momentum was agreed.
• Development of the Partnership Agreement, the overarching strategic document that lays out Ireland’s investment strategy and priorities to be addressed via the Cohesion Policy programmes.
• Providing appropriate funding for a whole of Government response to meeting our climate ambitions and Housing for All targets.
• The publication of the 2023 – 2027 Open Data Strategy to promote transparency and innovation in Ireland.
• The publication of the Better Public Services Strategy, a new Strategy to 2030 for the Public Service, and development of Design Principles for Government in Ireland and associated Action Plan for Designing Better Public Services
• Commencement of amended Protected Disclosures Act and publication of statutory guidance to assist public bodies in handling protected disclosures made to them under the Act.
• Enactment of the Regulation of Lobbying and Oireachtas (Allowances to Members) Amendment Act 2023.
• Publication of the Report of the Review of Ireland’s Statutory Framework for Ethics in Public Life.
• Publication of Circular 05/2023: Initiatives to assist SMEs in Public Procurement.
• Publication of updated Public Procurement Guidelines for Goods and Services.
• The publication of Menopause in the Workplace Policy Framework for the Civil Service to commit all Civil Service employers to recognise the impact of menopause and actively support all employees who are affected.
• Publication of a Domestic Violence and Abuse Policy for the Civil service, which sets out statutory entitlements to domestic violence leave and other employment supports for civil servants.
• The publication of Digital for Good: Ireland’s Digital Inclusion Roadmap to help make Ireland one of the most digitally inclusive States in the EU.
• Through a continuum of measures, this Department proactively continues to respond with targeted measures to alleviate pressure on households and exposed sectors of the economy.

The 2020, 2021 and 2022 Annual Reports can be found at the following links;

www.gov.ie/en/publication/86651-annual-report-2020/

www.gov.ie/en/publication/92514-annual-report-2021/

www.gov.ie/en/publication/d3c02-annual-report-2022/

A broad range of information and updates about the Department's key policy areas are published on its section of the gov.ie website at the following link:

www.gov.ie/en/organisation/department-of-public-expenditure-and-reform/.