Government consultancy spending to double
The figures are contained in the revised book of estimates — or yearly budgetary allocations for Government departments and State agencies — published yesterday.
They show that “expenditure on consultancy” came to about €19.144m last year. This year, by contrast, it is estimated that €36.837m will be spent on consultancy — an increase of 92%.
The consultancy budget includes the commissioning of value-for-money reviews — which the Government believes will save money in the long term.
Meanwhile, this year’s estimates book sets out targets for individual departments and agencies for the first time. Many of these targets are widely known but some have been less well publicised.
For example, one of the targets for the Office of Public Works is to reduce the State’s annual rental bill by €5.5m through a combination of lease surrenders and rent reviews.
The Prison Service is expected to reduce “chronic overcrowding” in Cork, Limerick, Mountjoy, and the Dochas Centre.
The Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation is aiming to enable 740 companies to invest over €100,000 a year in R&D.
The “key outputs” and “performance indicators” will give TDs and senators a rough guide to what each department and agency is expected to achieve.
Mr Howlin said the initiative was to facilitate the Dáil and its committees in holding ministers and heads of department to account for the allocation and use of public funds.
“It is not enough to know how much departments are looking to spend. We need to know, and the public need to know, what exactly is being delivered.”
He pledged that, from now on, all departments would be “judged on their performance”, and that his department would “provide the tools” to make this a reality.
“The Government is determined that every area of public service should be accountable for performance and results.”
Mr Howlin said the data also highlighted the many problems the Government had to address.
As an example, he said the percentage of children at risk of poverty had increased from 18% in 2008 to 19.5% in 2010.
Some of the targets and indicators for selected Government departments and State agencies:
PRESIDENT’S OFFICE:
* Ensure all eligible applicants receive the centenarian’s bounty — a payment of €2,540 to people who reach 100 years of age — in “a timely manner”.
TAOISEACH'S DEPARTMENT:
* Implement the fiscal compact in Irish law “in accordance with our constitutional requirements”.
* Make “effective preparations” for Ireland’s hosting of EU presidency in 2013.
DPP:
* Issue directions in relation to 13,500 to 14,000 suspects.
* Deal with 3,500 to 4,000 new court proceedings against suspects together with ongoing prosecutions.
FINANCE DEPARTMENT:
* Prepare Budget 2013.
* Monitor and report on all fiscal targets, including the EU/IMF bailout programme.
* Deliver an estimated tax yield for 2012 of €35.8bn.
* Revise strategies for Irish Life & Permanent and Irish Bank Resolution Corporation (the merged Anglo and Nationwide).
REVENUE COMMISSIONERS:
* Increase focus of audits on “identified high-risk businesses”.
* Conduct at least eight national and regional-led “shadow economy” compliance projects.
PUBLIC EXPENDITURE AND REFORM DEPARTMENT:
* Greater engagement with Dáil committees on budgetary process.
* Oversee reduction in public service numbers from 296,872 to 294,401, a decrease of 0.8%.
OFFICE OF PUBLIC WORKS:
* Complete six major flood relief schemes and begin eight more.
* Reduce State’s rental bill by €5.5m through lease surrenders and rent reviews.
SECRET SERVICE:
* 2012 budget set at €1m, an increase on last year’s €568,000.
AN GARDA SIOCHÁNA:
* Reduce number of crimes against the person — there were 20,756 such reported crimes last year compared with 20,588 in 2010.
* Complete 6,000 hours per month of enforcement by “Go Safe” cameras on the country’s roads.
PRISON SERVICE:
* Reduce “chronic overcrowding” in Cork, Limerick, Mountjoy, and the Dochas Centre.
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT:
* Put in place the legislative framework for a DNA database.
* Improve effectiveness of Garda operations.
* Progress the Personal Insolvency Bill through the Dáil.
ENVIRONMENT DEPARTMENT:
* Establish supports for eligible distressed borrowers.
* Publish revised national homeless strategy — according to figures cited by the documentation, there were 87 people sleeping rough in the greater Dublin area as of November last year, compared with 70 in 2010.
* Establish new State water company and regulatory framework to allow for water charges.
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT:
* Create 15,000 additional permanent school places at primary level and 3,250 at secondary level.
* Establish new agency to deal with qualifications and quality assurance in education and training.
FOREIGN AFFAIRS:
* Work with State agencies to facilitate opportunities for Irish businesses abroad, including a number of trade missions.
* Arrange at least one ministerial visit to or from each EU member state.
* Complete EU presidency planning.
COMMUNICATIONS:
* Provide high-speed broadband to another 200 second-level schools.
* Provide 17,000 low-income homes with energy efficiency measures to save money.
AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT:
* Continue negotiations and engagement on reform of the Common Agricultural Policy.
* Carry out 8.2m TB tests.
* Plant 7,000 hectares of forestry.
* Develop Ireland as a European hub for seafood processing.
TOURISM DEPARTMENT:
* Make decision on separation of State airports.
* Complete review of penalty points system and publish the Vehicle Clamping Industry Bill to crack down on rogue clampers.
* Support tourism development — after falling by 11% in 2009 and 12.9% in 2010, tourist numbers increased by 6.6% last year to 6.4m visitors.
JOBS DEPARTMENT:
* Approve 6,000 to 7,000 State grant-aided new jobs.
* Undertake a minimum of 15 minister-led trade missions abroad.
* Enable 740 companies to invest over €100,000 annually in R&D.
ARTS DEPARTMENT:
* Sustain regional and national arts venues at 2011 levels.
* End turf-cutting on a further 24 raised bogs.
* Complete review of Official Languages Act.
DEFENCE:
* Ensure Defence Forces’ operational effectiveness is “maximised within available resources”.
* Meet approved requests for cash-in-transit escorts and bomb disposal.
SOCIAL PROTECTION:
* Maintain more than 48,000 participants in job placement and work experience initiatives
* By year’s end, provide 95% of new clients signing on to Live Register with group engagement after three months and a referral to job placement or training after 18 months.
CHILDREN’S DEPARTMENT:
* Complete the legislative and administrative arrangements for a referendum on children’s rights.
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