Introduction
The Spending Review process aims to improve how public expenditure is allocated across all areas of Government. The Spending Review in 2018 resulted in 30 published papers across a range of key areas including staffing and workforce planning, labour market supports, key sectoral expenditure drivers and current spending on infrastructure.
Health
An Analysis of Older People Services Spend and Activity, 2014-2017
This paper assesses expenditure and activity levels related to services for older people in Ireland.
HSE Staff Trend Analysis, 2014-2017
This paper builds on previous work that explores the factors influencing the HSE pay bill and their effect on the overall budget. It sets out an historical examination of staffing trends and identifies short term pressures on the pay bill.
Analysis of Hospital Inputs and Outputs, 2014-2017
This paper analyses the trends in acute sector inputs and outputs over the period 2014 to 2017.
Nursing and Midwifery Expenditure
This paper examines current expenditure on nursing and midwifery grades with a focus on inputs, compositional changes and the competitiveness of associated pay rates.
Public Sector Staffing, Pay and Pensions
Pension Bill Projections for the Public Service: Cashflow Analysis
This paper provides cash flow projections of income and expenditure on occupational pensions in the public service.
Projected Retirements from the Civil Service, 2019-2028
This analysis projects the number of retirements across the Civil Service, including the Prison Service, over a 10 year period. The paper also presents the annual incremental cost associated with projected retirements.
Defence Forces Pensions Expenditure
This analysis provides cost estimates of future pension related expenditure for the Defence Forces to support expenditure management within the Defence Vote.
Management of the Exchequer Pay Bill
This paper examines trends in Exchequer pay bill expenditure over time, identifies the key issues and challenges associated with managing the pay bill and applies an analytical framework to consider the future management of the pay bill.
Income and Employment Supports
Supports for Persons on Low Income
This paper maps out the supports for those on low incomes from across the range of relevant policy areas and provides a benchmark of the supports that are currently being provided.
Public Employment Services: Mapping Activation
This paper provides a high-level overview of the resources committed and activities undertaken through Public Employment Services in Ireland. It also considers how these services have evolved in recent years.
An Analysis of Replacement Rates
Building on previous work completed by the Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service in 2015, this paper analyses the financial incentives for a person or household to move into employment in Ireland.
Housing and State Property
Assessing the Split between Current and Capital Expenditure on Social Housing Delivery
This paper presents a comparative analysis of social housing delivery streams including an assessment of the cost effectiveness of different options.
Analysis of OPW Spending on State Rents
This paper establishes a baseline regarding State rents which can be used in future as a basis to assess the efficiency, effectiveness, and impact of the State's expenditure in this area.
Enterprise Supports
Analysis of Enterprise Supports and the Labour Market
Building on a number of previous analyses, the purpose of this paper is to provide a high level overview of the State's role in supporting enterprise. The primary focus is the support provided through the main enterprise agencies under the aegis of the Department of Business, Enterprise and Innovation.
Analysis of IDA Ireland Expenditure
This paper assesses the scale, composition and trend in expenditure on the enterprise supports delivered through IDA Ireland.
An Assessment of Direct Supports for Start-ups and Entrepreneurship
This paper provides a top down analysis of the funding of start-up and entrepreneurship expenditure and traces that investment through the main activities, outputs and impacts.
Transport
Review of Recent Evaluations by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport
This paper forms part of the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport’s contribution to the 2018 Spending Review. The paper provides a progress update on the recommendations from their Value for Money reviews, that were undertaken since the introduction of the Public Spending Code.
Analysis of PSO Expenditure on Public Transport
The primary objective of this paper is to provide an overview analysis of the PSO scheme for public transport, in relation to effectiveness and performance monitoring.
Subsidised Ferry Services to the Islands
This paper examines the rationale for, and effectiveness of, the State’s investment in these services, while also examining the administration and governance of the public sector contracts for them.
Sport and Recreation
Sports Capital Programme
This paper presents a preliminary analysis of a survey of Sports Capital Grant applicants under the 2017 round and also acts as a short precursor to a planned Value for Money Review due to be undertaken by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.
Agriculture
Agriculture Cashflow Loan Support Scheme
The objective of this review is to evaluate the operation, expenditure and related outcomes of the Agriculture Cashflow Loan Support Scheme.
Arts
Implementation of Recommendations made as part of the Arts Council Value for Money Review
The paper provides a progress update on the recommendations highlighted in the 2015 Value for Money Review of the Arts Council. This paper also outlines future learnings for improving the process through which Value for Money recommendations are implemented.
Crime and Policing
Policing Civilianisation in Ireland: Lessons from International Practice
This paper examines civilianisation currently, and historically, in An Garda Síochána with a particular emphasis on learning from international examples of civilianisation and informing the Irish approach to the issue.
Review of Overtime Expenditure in An Garda Síochána
This paper reviews overtime expenditure in An Garda Síochána. It examines the efficiency of overtime spending and the effectiveness of control measures in An Garda Síochána. In addition to outlining recent trends in expenditure, the paper examines the role of overtime expenditure in policing services across other jurisdictions.
Review of Criminal Legal Aid
This paper assess the Criminal Legal Aid programme in Ireland and how it compares internationally. While the review does not aim to provide a conclusive view of every aspect of the Criminal Legal Aid programme, it does suggest possible amendments that could improve the system.
Efficiency Government Expenditure
Efficiency and Digitalisation in the Office of the Revenue Commissioners
This paper outlines that the efficiency and effectiveness related impacts of Revenue's digitalisation programme from 2007 to 2017, providing insights for the civil and public service.
Comparative Levels and Efficiency of Public Spending
The paper estimates the efficiency of public spending, particularly in the areas of Education, Health and Social Protection. Using Classification of the Functions of Government data, it compares public spending across sectors.
Trends in Public Expenditure 1994-2018
This review examines trends in, and drivers of, public expenditure from 1994 to 2018.
Education
Pay Expenditure Drivers at Primary and Second Level
The paper examines the factors impacting on teacher pay, in particular expenditure relating to the costs of meeting projected demand.
Understanding the Funding Needs of the Third Level Sector
The purpose of this paper is to gain a better understanding of the variables and technical assumptions underpinning the future funding needs of the Third Level Sector.