Vol. 555 No. 1
276 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government the updated achievement of each target set for his Department under the Strategic Management Initiative; if the targets in question are sufficiently measurable, quantifiable and focused on outcomes rather than activities to be an effective tool of real accountability; and if not, if he proposes to refine the targets. [17664/02]
339 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for the Environment and Local Government if he has reviewed the Strategy Statement for his Department for 2001-2004 prepared for the previous Government; and if he proposes to make alterations to it in view of his own personal priorities in the contents of the new Programme for Government. [17745/02]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 276 and 339 together.
In my Department's Statement of Strategy 2001-2004, key performance indicators are identified for each of the Department's areas of responsibility including the Strategic Management Initiative. These indicators are designed to assist in measuring the achievement of the Department's objectives and as such these indicators are an effective means of assessing the Department's performance. Progress in the key areas of the Strategic Management Initiative and progress in implementing all aspects of the statement of strategy is set out annually in the Department's annual report. A copy of the latest report, the Annual Report 2001, is available in the Oireachtas Library.
Good progress continues to be made through 2002 on implementation of the modernisation programme including publication of a human resources strategy, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library. Details of that progress will be set out in the annual report for 2002 which will also reflect the position of the modernisation programme across the whole organisation, the size and configuration of which has changed significantly since 6 June 2002.
In the meantime, in accordance with the statutory requirements of the Public Service Management Act 1997, my Department is preparing a new statement of strategy which will, inter alia, reflect the commitments contained in an agreed Programme for Government and the changes in the Department's responsibilities as announced by the Taoiseach on 6 June 2002.
