Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 April 2021
371. Deputy Alan Farrell asked the Minister for Transport the measures that are being considered to ensure that future infrastructure projects do not run over budget; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [19426/21]
View answerAs the Deputy is aware there have been a number of measures introduced, or ongoing, in relation to improving the management and oversight of public expenditure.
These measures are common to all areas of public expenditure and are led by my colleague the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform. The measures already introduced include –
- The publication of a revised Public Spending Code
- The establishment of the Project Ireland 2040 Delivery Board
- The publication of the Supporting Excellence: Project and Programme Delivery Capability Review
The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform has recently established an Action Team to develop a roadmap for the implementation of the Supporting Excellence: Project and Programme Delivery Capability Review and that roadmap is to be finalised as part of the Phase 2 Review of the National Development Plan. That Department is also finalising arrangements to introduce an independent external review of all €100million-plus projects at two of the major ‘decision gates’ within the Public Spending Code and I understand that review process is likely to be introduced later in the year. Further details of all of these measures are available to view in the Phase 1 Report of the Review of the National Development Plan which is available at: https://www.gov.ie/en/press-release/b4294-minister-mcgrath-publishes-phase-1-report-review-of-the-national-development-plan/.
Within my Department, there have been a number of initiatives introduced to complement and support these measures being introduced by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. As noted by Government in 2020, my Department has established a major projects governance oversight group to assist with the exercise of its responsibilities under the Public Spending Code in relation to the governance and oversight of the major public transport projects and programmes. In addition, the Department has entered into an arrangement with JASPERS, an agency of the EU / EIB, to provide independent external review of the preliminary business cases in respect of BusConnects, DART+ and MetroLink as they are received by the Department and in advance of my bringing a memorandum to government in respect of each project.
