170 Deputy George Lee asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment further to Parliamentary Question No. 114 of 17 November 2009, if further details are now available; when she expects examination and collation of the returns received in October 2009 to be completed; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48241/09]

The Government Decision of 19 May 2009 regarding the reduction of payment periods by Government Departments to 15 days included a requirement for Departments to report quarterly to my Department on their performance in meeting this target. These reports are to be submitted by the 15th day of the month following the end of the quarter. The Reports provide details of invoices paid within 15 days, between 16 and 30 days and over 30 days. The first returns by Departments cover the period 15 June to 30 September 2009.

Tables 1 and 2 contain the payment details received from Government Departments. In summary, these returns show a total of 62,860 payments were made by Departments in the above period amounting to €1.92bn; 49,890 payments totalling approximately €1.76bn were paid within 15 days. These payments represent 80 % of total payments made by Departments; in value terms 91% were paid within 15 days. A further 17% or almost 11,000 payments were made between 16 and 30 days and overall, 97% of payments during the period amounting to €1.86bn were paid within 30 days. Although there was some variation between the performances of individual Departments, 5 Departments were paying in excess of 90% of invoices within 15 days, a further 7 Departments were paying in excess of 83% of invoices within 15 days, while the remaining three had paid almost 50% of their payments within 15 days.

Some 9 Departments had paid between 98% and 100% of their invoices within 30 days and a further 5 had paid between 93% and 96% of their invoices within 30 days, while the remaining Department had paid 87% of invoices within 30 days. It is evident from the returns received, that Departments are playing their parts in assisting the cash flow of their suppliers, many of whom are Small and Medium Enterprises. The new procedures and processes introduced are having an impact in assisting Irish SMEs cash flow in the current difficult economic environment and I welcome this development. Future quarterly returns will show the overall consistency of Departments in meeting the 15-day payment requirement and any changes in the performance of individual Departments.