Public spending code

QUESTION

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the revised public spending code will be issued; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

REPLY

As part of the ongoing reform of Ireland’s public investment management systems, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform is updating the Public Spending Code.  The purpose of this update is to strengthen the existing guidance to better align with the realities of project delivery and with a particular focus on improved appraisal, cost estimation and management.  The Office of Government Procurement is also conducting a review of construction procurement which will align with the updated Public Spending Code.

The updated Public Spending Code includes the following reforms:

• Strengthened and harmonised capital appraisal guidance;
• Greater clarity on governance  and roles and responsibilities; 
• New mechanisms to improve the accuracy of cost estimates;
• Improved project life cycle to better reflect the realities of project delivery; and
• Increased transparency through publication of business cases and evaluation reports.  

The revised central elements of the Public Spending Code relating to the appraisal and management of public capital projects will be published this Autumn. Further technical guidance building upon these central elements will follow later in 2019 and in 2020.