Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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295. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will provide a report on the progress made implementing the Programme for Government commitments within his remit and on the achievements since the formation of the Government; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41391/26]

Jack Chambers (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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I wish to advise the Deputy that my Department has made significant progress in implementing its Programme for Government commitments throughout 2025 and to date in 2026, as set out in the attached table summarising progress across relevant actions.

I am pleased to draw the Deputy’s attention to some of the key achievements to date.

From an expenditure policy perspective, my Department is playing a central role in shaping Ireland’s fiscal and budgetary landscape. Informed by the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework, Budget 2026 placed an increased emphasis on what is being delivered to ensure real outcomes for citizens and prioritising service delivery in an efficient manner. The Expenditure Report published for Budget 2026 sets out key reforms proposals for 2026. The Department also bolstered how it manages expenditure in year. This year, Government decided on 21 April to allocate additional funding to the Department of Education and Youth. To deliver on agreed ceilings whilst accommodating this, a levy will be applied to Departments from 2027 and will require them to implement reforms and efficiencies.

To ensure effective budget oversight through strong governance and a focus on value for money, the Department has published Circular 21/2026, outlining an escalation process that will ensure a formalised and consistent escalation framework for managing expenditure overruns.

We are also reviewing the Public Financial Procedures to enhance accountability and value for money for all public money.

My Department has strengthened its infrastructure mandate by establishing a dedicated Infrastructure Division led by a Deputy Secretary General. The Department published a revised National Development Plan in July 2025, allocating €275.4 billion in capital investment to 2035. This is the largest investment programme in the history of the State.

To accelerate the delivery of infrastructure, the Department published an Accelerating Infrastructure Report and Action Plan in December 2025, following a public consultation on barriers to infrastructure delivery. The Plan is designed to address the key barriers to infrastructure development and drive the efficient delivery of infrastructure across Ireland by progressing reforms across four key pillars: Legal Reform; Regulatory Reform and Simplification; Delivery and Coordination Reform; and Public Acceptance. The plan is being implemented at pace and all Q1 2026 actions committed to in the plan have been delivered.

My Department is also working with a broad range of public bodies on the implementation of the Better Public Services Strategy to deliver agreed flagship programmes under the three pillars of Digital and Innovation at Scale, Workforce and Organisation of the Future and Evidence informed policy and services designed for and with our public. This programme is focused on providing inclusive, high quality and integrated service provision that meets the needs and improves the lives of the people of Ireland. I would highlight, in particular, the publication of the Digital Public Services Plan 2030. This plan commits to the digitalisation of 189 applicable key public services across 17 Life Events (e.g. Birth of a Child, Becoming Employed / Unemployed). The plan also commits to a service design methodology whereby services will be redesigned after extensive user research. The plan sets a pathway to delivering on two key targets for 2030: (i) 100% of key public services available online; and (ii) 90% of key public services consumed online.

My Department launched the Guidelines for the Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence in the Public Service in May 2025. These guidelines form a practical framework aligned with the EU AI Act to support responsible AI adoption in the public service. My Department is also advancing digital transformation through the completion of the State Data Centre and updates to the Digital Inclusion Roadmap.

Aligned to the delivery of Better Public Services, my Department is well advanced in the process of developing a first ever National Public Procurement Strategy. As part of the work to prepare for the Strategy, Ireland’s Strategic Procurement Roadmap (2025), a joint project with the European Commission, reported on the barriers and challenges that public buyers and suppliers face and was the initial pre-consultation scoping exercise for the strategy. The Roadmap provided the initial evidence base and insight for the public consultation which has resulted in the solutions and actions that will be addressed in the Strategy once finalised. My Department also led on Ireland's first cross-government all-island supplier expo, supporting SME access to public procurement opportunities.

I would also like to point to a number of other areas advanced during 2025. For example, Ireland’s position on EU Cohesion Policy post 2027 was articulated through a public consultation, Stakeholder Forum and the finalisation of position paper. Civil service reform continues with new workplace policies and updated guidance on CEO remuneration. The Department supports innovation in public service delivery and is advancing a new digital wallet. Ireland also strengthened its leadership in digital government and open data, placing among the top countries globally in both EU and OECD assessments for 2025. In addition to AI usage guidelines referenced above, my Department introduced new skills development initiatives including the ICT Apprenticeship Scheme and the Commercial Skills Academy Strategic Action Plan. Sustainability and legislative reform were prioritised through the approval of a Green Public Procurement Circular and the enactment of the Statute Law Revision Act 2024. Recognition of excellence was achieved with awards and certifications for ethical procurement and data governance, and public engagement was enhanced through initiatives such as the WhereYourMoneyGoes.gov.ie survey.

Progress will be further detailed in my Department’s Annual Report for 2025, which is due to be published in the coming weeks.