government’s expenditure review initiative progress 2002 - 2004
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Government’s Expenditure Review Initiative Progress 2002 - 2004. Lunchtime seminar of Irish Evaluation Network 10 March 2005 Conor McGinn, Department of Finance ([email protected]). Content. Expenditure Review history and processes Management structures - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Government’s Expenditure Government’s Expenditure Review InitiativeReview Initiative
Progress 2002 - 2004Progress 2002 - 2004Lunchtime seminar of Irish Evaluation NetworkLunchtime seminar of Irish Evaluation Network
10 March 200510 March 2005
Conor McGinn, Department of FinanceConor McGinn, Department of Finance([email protected])([email protected])
ContentContent
Expenditure Review history and processesExpenditure Review history and processes
Management structuresManagement structures
Report on progress, 2002-2004 Report on progress, 2002-2004
Views of Depts & Quality AssessorsViews of Depts & Quality Assessors
Conclusions and recommendationsConclusions and recommendations
What next?What next?
Some initial scepticismsSome initial scepticisms
Departments reviewing themselves, Departments reviewing themselves, making case for more resourcesmaking case for more resources
Why evaluate when the answer is Why evaluate when the answer is obvious?obvious?
ERI yet another bureaucratic paper-ERI yet another bureaucratic paper-generating-machinegenerating-machine
Evaluation not a priority for top Evaluation not a priority for top management and at political levelmanagement and at political level
ERI events since 1997ERI events since 1997
The Strategic Mangement Initiative and The Strategic Mangement Initiative and the beginnings of expenditure reviewthe beginnings of expenditure review
Objectives of the ERIObjectives of the ERI
C&AG value for money study of the ERI, C&AG value for money study of the ERI, October 2001October 2001
Reforms to the process, 2002-2004 Reforms to the process, 2002-2004
Stages under each round of ERIStages under each round of ERI
Selection of topics by each Dept’s Selection of topics by each Dept’s Management Advisory CommitteeManagement Advisory Committee
In consultation with Dept of FinanceIn consultation with Dept of Finance
Topics submitted for Government approvalTopics submitted for Government approval
Local steering committees for each review Local steering committees for each review appointedappointed
ERI stages (cont’d)ERI stages (cont’d)
Terms of reference approved by relevant Terms of reference approved by relevant Secretary GeneralSecretary General
Data collection & analysis; report draftedData collection & analysis; report drafted
Draft report quality assessed externallyDraft report quality assessed externally
Publication; laying before OireachtasPublication; laying before Oireachtas
And hopefully… And hopefully…
… … review recommendations implementedreview recommendations implemented
Expenditure Review Central Expenditure Review Central Steering Committee (ERCSC)Steering Committee (ERCSC)
Chaired by Secretary General, Chaired by Secretary General, Department of FinanceDepartment of Finance
Vets progress in Departments regarding:Vets progress in Departments regarding:selection of topicsselection of topics
Progress with reviews, etc.Progress with reviews, etc.
Monitors quality and assesses impactMonitors quality and assesses impact
Reports and makes recommendations to Reports and makes recommendations to Minister & GovernmentMinister & Government
And the name…?And the name…?
First called the Central Steering First called the Central Steering Committee, the CSC …Committee, the CSC …
… ‘… ‘til the Civil Service Commission til the Civil Service Commission became upset!became upset!
ERCSC: You pronounce it!ERCSC: You pronounce it!
Lord of the Rings: the OrcsLord of the Rings: the Orcs
The ‘real’ CSC no longer existsThe ‘real’ CSC no longer exists
All very ERC-someAll very ERC-some
Expenditure Reviewers’ NetworkExpenditure Reviewers’ Network
Our own mini-version of the IENOur own mini-version of the IEN
For civil servants carrying out reviews - all For civil servants carrying out reviews - all Depts/Offices represented: 250+ membersDepts/Offices represented: 250+ members
Includes students of CMOD Masters Includes students of CMOD Masters course in public policy analysiscourse in public policy analysis
Overseeing committee chaired by Dept of Overseeing committee chaired by Dept of FinanceFinance
Offers training, network events, & extranetOffers training, network events, & extranet
Why produce a report now?Why produce a report now?
A good thing to do …A good thing to do …
(Still feels that way after being called (Still feels that way after being called before an Oireachtas Committee?)before an Oireachtas Committee?)
To put focus on DepartmentsTo put focus on Departments
To take stock of progress of reforms & To take stock of progress of reforms & indicate areas for further changeindicate areas for further change
To consider how ERI interlinks with other To consider how ERI interlinks with other reforms/initiativesreforms/initiatives
Report was based onReport was based on
Discussions with Secretaries GeneralDiscussions with Secretaries General
Views of Expenditure Reviewers’ NetworkViews of Expenditure Reviewers’ Network
Committee’s own deliberationsCommittee’s own deliberations
Questionnaire responses received from Questionnaire responses received from the Quality Assessorsthe Quality Assessors
Secretaries General on role & Secretaries General on role & impact of ERIimpact of ERI
Reviews help provide better information Reviews help provide better information and so contribute to policy developmentand so contribute to policy development
Clarify objectives of programmes reviewedClarify objectives of programmes reviewed
Highlight operational & efficiency Highlight operational & efficiency improvementsimprovements
Help set context for subsequent decisionsHelp set context for subsequent decisions
Contribute to the Estimates processContribute to the Estimates process
Foster a culture of evaluationFoster a culture of evaluation
Comments by Quality AssessorsComments by Quality Assessors
Selection of topics for reviewSelection of topics for review
Quality of review reportQuality of review report
Terms of referenceTerms of reference
Evaluation approachEvaluation approach
Quality Assessors, cont’dQuality Assessors, cont’d
Planning and managing of reviewsPlanning and managing of reviews
Steering committees, external inputSteering committees, external input
Evaluative capacityEvaluative capacity
Response to quality assessment processResponse to quality assessment process
Criteria used by Quality Assessors Criteria used by Quality Assessors in assessing reviewsin assessing reviews
1.1. Are ToR appropriate to the ERI?Are ToR appropriate to the ERI?
2.2. Does report comprehensively address ToR?Does report comprehensively address ToR?
3.3. Adequacy of analytical approach; Adequacy of analytical approach; robustness of methodologies usedrobustness of methodologies used
4.4. Addresses future performance indicators?Addresses future performance indicators?
5.5. Conclusions and recommendations Conclusions and recommendations supported by analysis?supported by analysis?
6.6. Structure, presentation, clarity of reportStructure, presentation, clarity of report
Some Departments currently Some Departments currently showing strong engagementshowing strong engagement
Agriculture & FoodAgriculture & Food
Foreign AffairsForeign Affairs
Social and Family AffairsSocial and Family Affairs
Enterprise, Trade and EmploymentEnterprise, Trade and Employment
New kid on the block: Community, Rural and New kid on the block: Community, Rural and Gaeltachts AffairsGaeltachts Affairs
Some Departments that are still Some Departments that are still building evaluation capacitybuilding evaluation capacity
Education and ScienceEducation and Science
Health … though many evaluation Health … though many evaluation reports/studies producedreports/studies produced
Communications, Marine & Natural ResourcesCommunications, Marine & Natural Resources
Environment & Local GovernmentEnvironment & Local Government
Arts, Sports and TourismArts, Sports and Tourism
FinanceFinance
ERCSC’s main findingsERCSC’s main findings
Slippages in completing reviews on timeSlippages in completing reviews on time
Number of reviews OK, taking other forms Number of reviews OK, taking other forms of evaluation into accountof evaluation into account
Implementation of reforms to the ERI has Implementation of reforms to the ERI has taken longer than expectedtaken longer than expected
A need to build impact of reviews on A need to build impact of reviews on resource allocationresource allocation
Main findings (cont’d)Main findings (cont’d)
Planning, managing and resourcing the Planning, managing and resourcing the review process has been a problem review process has been a problem
Evaluation culture in Departments is Evaluation culture in Departments is variable, but improvingvariable, but improving
Synergies are possible with other Synergies are possible with other elements of public service modernisation elements of public service modernisation programmeprogramme
Report recommendationsReport recommendations
1.1. Improving timeliness of reviewsImproving timeliness of reviews
2.2. Changes to structures & reporting Changes to structures & reporting arrangements within Depts/Officesarrangements within Depts/Offices
3.3. Detailing progress in Modernisation Detailing progress in Modernisation Action Plan updates under Action Plan updates under Sustaining Sustaining ProgressProgress
4.4. Stating of reasons for each reviewStating of reasons for each review
Recommendations (cont’d)Recommendations (cont’d)
5.5. Making review steering committees more Making review steering committees more independentindependent
6.6. Strengthening of central supports Strengthening of central supports
7.7. Smaller OfficesSmaller Offices
8.8. Systems to follow-up on review Systems to follow-up on review recommendationsrecommendations
Recommendations (cont’d)Recommendations (cont’d)
9.9. Annual Reports of Departments/Offices Annual Reports of Departments/Offices to detail review activityto detail review activity
10.10. Laying review reports before Oireachtas Laying review reports before Oireachtas CommitteesCommittees
11.11. Linkages with Management Information Linkages with Management Information FrameworkFramework
12.12. Linkages with Policy Analysis trainingLinkages with Policy Analysis training
Where now?Where now?
Report was accepted and is being implementedReport was accepted and is being implemented
Call for 2005-2007 round of reviews has issued, Call for 2005-2007 round of reviews has issued, with focus to be on important, key areaswith focus to be on important, key areas
ERI building interlinkages with other initiatives:ERI building interlinkages with other initiatives:– NDP/CSF evaluation, NDP/CSF evaluation, – policy analysis training, policy analysis training, – Management Information FrameworkManagement Information Framework
Minister’s recent call for debate on Budgetary Minister’s recent call for debate on Budgetary process will have implications for the ERIprocess will have implications for the ERI
Longer-term issuesLonger-term issues
Moving beyond expenditure programmesMoving beyond expenditure programmes– Administrative expenditureAdministrative expenditure– Tax expendituresTax expenditures
Handling cross-departmental issuesHandling cross-departmental issues
Encouraging politicians to ask the right Encouraging politicians to ask the right questionsquestions
Perhaps the time is ripe for another Perhaps the time is ripe for another external evaluation of the ERI?external evaluation of the ERI?