Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 5 May 2004
72 Mr. Perry asked the Taoiseach if he will detail reports that have been internally prepared or externally commissioned by his Department since 1 July 2003, indicating in all cases if they had been published; when they will be published; and if they are not intended for publication in relation to externally commissioned reports, the costs of the reports. [12798/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe following reports have been prepared by my Department since 1 July 2003. Internal audit reports: value for money audit report on courier services; and report on the winding up of the millennium fund. It is not normal practice to publish internal audit reports; Sustaining Progress, first progress report — laid before the House in July 2003; Sustaining Progress, second progress report — laid before the House in October 2003; Sustaining Progress, third progress report — laid before the House in January 2004; and Sustaining Progress, fourth progress report — laid before the House in April 2004.
My Department submitted six monthly reports to the Oireachtas on 24 September 2003 and 23 March 2004. These are in accordance with section 2(5) of the European Union (Scrutiny) Act 2002, whereby all Departments are required to submit six monthly reports to the Oireachtas on measures, proposed measures and other developments in relation to the European Communities and the European Union. These reports provided an overview of draft legislative measures for which the Department is responsible, which have been submitted to the Oireachtas for scrutiny. The reports also included a brief summary of significant European events and developments for which the Department was responsible during the specified six month periods. These reports are prepared internally at marginal cost. Reports are laid before both Houses of the Oireachtas and copies are available for viewing from the Oireachtas Library.
The cross-departmental team to the Cabinet sub-committee on housing, infrastructure and PPPs, public private partnerships, laid its annual fifth progress report 2003 in the Oireachtas Library on 22 April 2004. The progress report is also available on the Department of the Taoiseach website.
In keeping with the phased approach outlined in general council report 1398 on the introduction of upward feedback within the Civil Service performance management and development system, the Department commissioned Watson Wyatt to undertake a web-based employee opinion survey, following a tender process. The initial results of the survey have been presented to all staff, with some further analysis due to be undertaken by end May 2004. The overall project costs are approximately €34,000.
A report on assessments of display screen equipment workstations in the Department was completed by the health and safety unit of IBEC for the Department in 2004. This report was compiled in compliance with health and safety legislation at a cost of €8,000. The report will not be published but is the basis for improving working conditions for staff to ensure a safe and healthy work environment.
In 2003, an internal report was prepared to analyse the results of a survey of 400 departmental customers as part of the process of preparing a customer charter for the Department. The charter has been published and copies are available from my Department or on the Department website. Customer Charters — Guidelines for Preparation was published in September 2003. Our Commitments to our colleagues — Internal Customer Service in the Civil Service was published in January 2004.
The action plan and progress report drawn up by the anti-inflation group, comprising representatives from the Departments of the Taoiseach, Finance and Enterprise, Trade and Employment, together with representatives from IBEC and ICTU, was prepared by officials of my Department at no additional cost. The report was published in November 2003. Regulating Better, a Government White Paper setting out six principles of better regulation was published in January 2004. The Department's report on the implementation of the strategy statement for 2003 is currently being prepared and, as for previous reports, will be available in both Irish and English on the Department's website. The Department's reports to the Civil Service performance verification group are available, along with the reports of other Departments, on the Department of Finance website.
The Information Society Commission has published the following reports since 1 July 2003: Modernising Public Procurement, September 2003; eGovernment, October 2003; eInclusion — expanding the Information Society in Ireland, October 2003; Ireland's Broadband Future, December 2003; and Current Perspectives on the Information Society, April 2004. The ESRI has been commissioned to prepare a report into trends arising from ISC surveys since 1996. The report is expected to be published in June 2004.
