Dáil Éireann debate -
Tuesday, 1 Jul 2003

Vol. 570 No. 2

Written Answers. - Strategic Management Initiative.

Richard Bruton

Question:

569 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the key indicators of input, output, outcome and performance which her Department monitors as part of the strategic management initiative; and the trend in these indicators in each year since 1997. [18698/03]

Minister for Social and Family Affairs (Mary Coughlan):

The Public Service Management Act 1997 requires each Government Department-Office to produce a statement of strategy which outlines the organisation's key objectives and performance indicators relating to the achievement of those objectives. In this regard, my Department has recently published its fourth statement of strategy, Promoting a Caring Society, which covers the period 2003-05.

A copy of this strategy statement is available in the Oireachtas Library and I have arranged for a copy to be sent to the Deputy.

The Department has also published a customer action plan and an internal customer service plan, both of which set out specific targets in relation to the provision of service to customers of the Department, both external and internal, over the three year period 2001-04.

The key indicators of performance in the Department relate to the processing of social welfare payments, control savings and levels of customer satisfaction with the services provided. Between 1997 and 2002 the number of claims in payment by the Department rose by 18% with particularly high levels of increases in certain scheme areas. Despite these increases, overall service levels measured by processing times for new claims, were broadly maintained.

The Department control strategy involves a wide range of measures and activities to control fraud and abuse of the system. Savings arising from control activity increased by 40% between 1997 and 2002.

The Department on a regular basis carries out surveys of customers and consultation exercises to determine levels of satisfaction and obtain views on the service involved. These exercises are used to identify specific areas where improvement is required and to target resources towards these areas.

The indicators of performance which are currently in use are being reviewed in the context of the management information framework project which is being implemented as part of the programme of modernisation of the public services. This process will lead to the introduction of a more comprehensive set of performance indicators and improved systems for measuring and reporting on inputs, outputs and outcomes for the future.