Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 12 June 2013
132. Deputy Sean Fleming asked the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht if he will set out the value for money reports and the focused policy assessments carried out within his Department since March 2011; the actions that have been taken to implement such reports; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28168/13]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware, the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht was established on 2 June, 2011 following substantial Departmental configurations. Shortly thereafter, all areas of my Department’s expenditure were subject to a root and branch analysis as part of a Comprehensive Expenditure Review. There followed a consultation process culminating in the approval by Government last year of a new Public Spending Code. The new Code revised and strengthened arrangements in relation to the Value for Money and Policy Review Initiative and introduced a new concept of Focused Policy Assessments. New Value for Money (VFM) Reviews were then selected.
A VFM Review of the Arts Council was approved by the Government as part of a wide-ranging programme of VFM reviews across Departments. My Department has engaged with the Arts Council and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform in that regard. A new Evaluation Unit has now been established in my Department and preliminary work in scoping the review is well advanced. Draft Terms of Reference and the composition of the Steering Committee are currently being finalised by the Department.
The question of undertaking a Focused Policy Assessment during 2013 is currently being examined.
