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(conor.mcginn@finance.gov.ie)(conor.mcginn@finance.gov.ie)

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?