Written Answers. - Performance Indicators.
Richard Bruton
Ceist:
164
Mr. R. Bruton
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the key performance indicators being made by her Department; the performance in respect of these for the past five years; and if a commentary is published on these performance indicators taking them to objectives and activities.
[20304/02]
My Department's three yearly statements of strategy set out the mission and goals which drive its work programme. The first strategy statement covered the period 1998-2000. The current mission statement of my Department, as set out in the strategy statement 2001-2003, is to promote the sustainable development of a modern competitive enterprise economy based on social inclusion and enhanced working and living standards. Five strategic goals which outline how this mission will be achieved are set out in the strategy statement. The strategy statement contains 25 performance indicators and progress in relation to the achievement of each of the performance indicators is outlined in detail in my Department's annual reports, which are available on the website www.entemp.ie.
My Department also agreed, in accordance with the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, a range of specific and measurable performance indicators for public service modernisation in the context of the Strategic Management Initiative over the period April 2001 to April 2002. A detailed progress report was submitted in May 2002 to the Civil Service quality assurance group established under PPF. The report outlined progress in relation to the overall strategic management framework, enhancement of partnership, organisational flexibility, capability and policy analysis, quality customer service, e-public services and internal issues such as human resource-performance management, training, equality and financial and IT management.
In accordance with the Public Service Management Act, 1997, work is currently under way on the development of a strategy statement for the period 2003-2005. This will set out my Department's strategic objectives for this period and will include new performance indicators relevant to those objectives.
Richard Bruton
Ceist:
165
Mr. R. Bruton
asked the
Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment
the key performance indicators of the agencies which her Department funds; the performance in respect of these for the past five years; and if these agencies publish a commentary on these performance indicators linking them to objectives and activities.
[20322/02]
Each year since its establishment in 1998, Enterprise Ireland has published, in its annual report, its key performance indicators. These include the number of new high growth companies established; first time exporters; increase in the number of new companies with an overseas presence; increase in the research and development spend as a percentage of sales and increase in the number of companies spending in excess of €50,000 on training per annum
The 2001 annual report for Enterprise Ireland, which was published in July 2002, summarised the achievements made by the agency in reaching these key performance indicators for the last three years. The annual report is available on www.enterprise-ireland.com.
Performance indicators were identified by the Health and Safety Authority in 2001, as follows: statements of strategy and service delivery plans; performance management and development systems; service standards; regulatory reform and human resources management. In addition to these formal performance indicators the Health and Safety Authority works, as it has always done, to a targeted annual programme of work. The achievement of the objectives set out in the programme is monitored on a quarterly basis against a range of performance indicators and is reported in the annual report. Both the annual report and programme of work are available online at the authority's website www.hsa.ie.
During the past five years, IDA Ireland has used a range of performance measures and indicators some of which are publicly reported on while others are more complex internal measures of performance.
A. Externally Reported Targets- Measures:
– Employment Performance
– Cost Per Job Sustained (Actual)
– Economic Impact (These are reported on in detail in the annual reports available on www.idaireland.com).
B. Internal Key Performance Measures:
Key additional internal performance measures are based on meeting policy objectives on a quality basis. A commentary on these performance measures is not published. As well as the quantifiable areas mentioned, IDA is involved in other less quantifiable activities which are needed to support their objectives. This includes extensive work in the educational and research and development areas as well as considerable activities in the area of cluster development. IDA executives are also heavily involved in other areas such as dealing with infrastructural deficits, taxation matters etc, which are difficult to measure.
Forfás currently has a number of performance indicators in place to track performance against stated objectives. These include: regular reporting, on a quarterly basis, of progress in addressing the priority areas in the agency's annual work programme is set out in the Forfás corporate plan. An account of the work programme and the outcomes achieved is published in the Forfás annual report; an independent survey of clients, carried out every two years, which provides feedback on key dimensions of service quality; and monitoring of a set of indicators relating to staff development which are linked to the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness – PPF. All of this activity is summarised in the agency's annual reports which are available on www.forfas.ie.
Science Foundation Ireland – SFI – is currently operating as a sub-board of Forfás. Legislation is being drafted to set SFI up as a separate legal entity.
In 2001, Shannon Development completed a fundamental appraisal and review of its strategy and future direction. This incorporated a full review of how performance against its new mission-objectives would be measured. As a result, from 2001, a set of – over 40 – key performance indicators was developed, in both qualitative and quantitative terms. These key performance indicators are directly aligned to the key operational activities across all Shannon Development's business areas. Performance against Shannon's key performance indicators is measured-monitored by Shannon Development's planning and research division and board on a quarterly basis and the annual reports refer to performance against key selected indicators each year. The annual report is available on www.shannon-dev.ie.
Although Shannon Development does not publish a formal commentary on its performance against these key performance indicators, its annual reports refer to performance against key selected indicators each year, and the board are advised on a quarterly basis.
InterTradeIreland's first corporate plan 2002-2004 sets out a clear mission, to lead the development of the island economy through distinctive knowledge-based interventions which will produce significant returns in the areas of cross-Border trade and business development. The corporate plan also sets out two strategic goals as follows: to develop the capability of businesses to trade within the island economy by increasing the quality and quantity of knowledge and information on the dynamics of cross-border trade and business development; to develop the capability of businesses to trade within the island economy by improving the flow of, and access to, relevant knowledge and information between stakeholders in the two jurisdictions to facilitate business and economic policy decisions.
The activities to deliver against these goals are described in InterTradeIreland's annual operating plans. The annual operating plans specify quantitative key performance indicators for each individual project described in terms of objectives, targets, resources, costs and timescales. Progress reports on the operating plan are submitted to the board on a monthly basis. These reports are supplemented by a quarterly statistical return on impacts achieved. The reports are not published. InterTradeIreland has published two annual reports to date, in which account is given of performance in years 2000 and 2001. The 2001 annual report is available on www.intertrad eireland.com.
FÁS has always had a range of performance indicators at national and local level. Within the last two years FÁS has developed a new strategic planning process, which incorporates the need for performance indicators and includes a business planning process of performance measurement.
The purpose of performance measurement in FÁS is to ensure that the objectives and targets of FÁS are being met in an efficient and effective manner for FÁS customers. In broad terms FÁS must satisfy ongoing implementation of statements of strategy service delivery plans within each sector based on the relevant policy documents, and the SMI modernisation programme; design and implementation of performance man agement systems to support implementation; and implementation of challenging service standards set in consultation with the recipients of the service.
FÁS produces regular data on its performance across a range of areas. The results are published annually in the FÁS report and accounts. The data for the period 1996 to 2001 will be published in the 2001 annual report. The annual report is available on www. fas.ie.
Performance indicators have been identified in the NSAI in the past three years. They are divided into the following areas: Strategic; restructuring of the certification function achieved in full 2001l review of the Irish Agrément Board achieved in full 2001; and finalise management structure of subsidiary NSAI Inc. achieved in full 2001; External: in the area of quality, measures for customer complaints to be established achieved 2001; in the information technology area, the indicators achieved include the development of a pilot e-working scheme for NSAI, the launching of the redeveloped website, the training of the consultative committee chairpersons in the intranet system LIVELINK achieved 2001; the adoption as Irish Standard of 85% of European Standards – CEN and CENELEC – within six months of the European publication date annual achievement; in the area of the NSAI's corporate identity, the requirement was for the updating of the corporate logo and stationery – achieved 2001.
A commentary on the performance indicators in NSAI has not been published to date. A detailed commentary for 2001 will be published in the 2001 annual report which will be available on www.nsai.ie when published.
In accordance with the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, the agencies under the aegis of my Department have agreed a range of specific and measurable performance indicators for public service modernisation in the context of the Strategic Management Initiative over the period April 2001 to April 2002. A detailed progress report was submitted in May 2002 to the Civil Service quality assurance group established under PPF. The report outlined progress in relation to the overall strategic management framework, enhancement of partnership, organisational flexibility, capability and policy analysis, quality customer service, e-public services and internal issues such as human resource-performance management, training, equality and financial and IT management.
