Question:
45 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Finance if he will report on the implementation of the Government decision to carry out evaluations on public expenditure programmes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26912/99]
Written Answers. - Public Expenditure.
The Government decided in March 1997 to establish a system of expenditure reviews with the aim of reviewing all areas of expenditure over a three year period. This decision implemented one of the key financial and managerial reforms under the strategic management initiative.
The introduction of multi-annual budgeting under the strategic management initiative will give Departments greater scope to manage their programmes over the medium-term within the financial allocations or envelopes decided by the Government. The expenditure review process is designed to support this important change. By establishing the review system as a regular part of their annual cycle of work, Departments will be in a much better position to ensure that the resources at their disposal are used as efficiently and effectively as possible. The reviews are carried out by the spending Departments under the aegis of joint steering groups from the spending Departments and the Department of Finance. In addition, a high level steering committee for programme evaluation was established to oversee the process and to provide an independent assessment of completed reviews.
In July 1997, the Government approved the first tranche of spending reviews by all major Departments and offices to be started in 1997. The Government also considered an indicative list of the reviews which might be begun in the second and third years of the programme. Progress with the reviews was slower than anticipated. However, the 1997-98 round of reviews is almost completed at this stage. In March 1999 the Government approved the second round of spending reviews to be undertaken in 1999-2000. Work on these reviews is currently under way.