1175. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has carried out any formal governance, compliance, or performance reviews of the Institute of Public Health in each of the years 2023, 2024 and 2025; and to provide the number of such reviews conducted in each year. [30185/26]

1176. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any structured audit or review schedule exists within her Department in respect of non-statutory bodies receiving direct Exchequer funding; and if so, to outline the frequency, scope, and methodology of such reviews. [30186/26]

1178. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether any performance evaluation, value-for-money assessment, or outcome-based review of the Institute of Public Health has been conducted by or on behalf of her Department since 2020; and if so, to provide details. [30189/26]

1179. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether her Department has defined key performance indicators, reporting requirements, or measurable outputs for the Institute of Public Health as a condition of funding; and if so, to outline these arrangements. [30190/26]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 1175, 1176, 1178 and 1179 together.

The All Island Institute of Public Health (IPH) is the only non-statutory body that receives funding directly by the Department.  This is due to its specific nature as an all island body that was set up prior to the signing of the Good Friday / Belfast Agreement in 1998.  The IPH provides support on public health policy to the respective Departments of Health and Chief Medical Officers in both jurisdictions.

In terms of the procedures in place where governance, safeguarding or financial risks are identified, and the required frequency of reporting, the IPH oversight agreement states that Governance and Oversight meetings shall be conducted four times per year. These provide the opportunity for formal reporting against the Performance Delivery Agreement, activities and spending agreed in the annual Business Plan. The IPH reports on progress, challenges, risks and financial activity. At these meetings the IPH is required to provide a Risk Register. The oversight agreement between the two sponsor Departments and the IPH has defined escalation procedures and points of contact.

The IPH regularly produces high quality input into the Department of Health, and has done so since its inception in 1998.  The outputs of the IPH includes the provision of reports, events, policy briefs, consultation responses, journal articles and conferences.  The work plan of the IPH is varied and responsive to both long term and emerging public health needs and challenges on the island of Ireland.  Therefore the application of defined service-quality standards, measurable performance indicators, and outcome-based metrics are not particularly applicable, given the nature of the work of the IPH.  Such metrics may be more applicable to service orientated organisations operating in a single jurisdiction.  Not applying these types of metrics does not constitute absence of performance management.  The oversight agreement with the IPH specifically states the need to ensure that the Institute give consistent consideration in how it utilises public funds provided by both Departments of Health.

The oversight agreement of the IPH was jointly agreed by the Departments of Health in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, and the Independent Board of the IPH.  Therefore the oversight of the IPH is decided jointly in accordance with the statutory requirements in both jurisdictions.