Paul Lawless (Mayo, Aontú)
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132. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will address the concerns in regarding the management of public funds in relation to recent reports of overspending in certain departments; and the steps being taken to ensure better oversight and accountability. [15155/25]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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Budget 2025 provided for investment of €105.4 billion to deliver continued improvements in our infrastructure and enhance our public services to build for a stronger future. The Budget provided for sustainable investment in public services through a balanced approach to budgetary policy. Through these measures Government is supporting households and firms, boosting the resilience of the economy and enhancing our capital infrastructure stock, including housing.

Managing the delivery of public services within budgetary allocations is the responsibility of each Minister and their Department, who are required to ensure that appropriate measures are in place to facilitate financial control within budgetary targets. In managing departmental expenditure at an operational level, each Accounting Officer is responsible for the safeguarding of public funds and property under his or her control, ensuring that appropriate procedures, checks and financial controls are in place. My Department is in regular communication with all spending Departments and Offices in respect of the management of expenditure within the agreed overall fiscal parameters, and provides ongoing monitoring of aggregate expenditure on a monthly basis, which is published each month in the Fiscal Monitor.

As part of my Department’s role supporting the appropriate use of public funds across government bodies, it establishes the governance frameworks, or rules, setting out the principles and procedures for how money should be spent. The aim of these rules is to support Accounting Officers – usually the head of the spending organisation – in discharging their responsibility to ensure controlled expenditure, effective delivery and value for money.

Examples of the governance frameworks which are in place include:

• The Code of Practice of the Governance of State Bodies,
• the Public Financial Procedures, the Infrastructure Guideline,
• the Public Procurement Guidelines; and
• Arrangements for oversight of Digital/IT projects and initiatives.