913. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation if he is satisfied that departments and public bodies responsible for major procurement and infrastructure projects retain sufficient internal procurement, commercial, technical, project and contract management expertise to act as informed clients and effectively challenge and manage external consultants and contractors; the way in which the capability is assessed; the minimum capability requirements that apply; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [61157/26]

As Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation, my Department is responsible for the Infrastructure Guidelines, which replaced the Public Spending Code for capital appraisal since end 2023. These set the value for money requirements and guidance for evaluating, planning and managing Exchequer-funded capital projects to ensure that vital infrastructure projects will be delivered on time and in a manner that ensures value for money through detailed evaluation, appraisal and planning.

Management and delivery of investment projects and public services within allocation and the national frameworks, including the Infrastructure Guidelines and National Planning Framework, is a key responsibility of every Department, Accounting Officer and Minister. Adherence to the Infrastructure Guidelines themselves is ultimately the responsibility of the Accounting Officer of the relevant funding department.

It is a matter for each Accounting Officer to decide whether processes in place in his/her department/ office/body and associated agencies are appropriate to ensure compliance with the Infrastructural Guidelines, manage capital budgets overall and manage budgets at an individual project level. In order to do so, all Government Departments and agencies tasked with delivering these vital projects must have the capacity, capability and appropriate governance structures in place to deliver efficiently and effectively.

The majority of public investment projects are delivered on budget and on time and there is a high level of professionalism across the sectors. However, noting the higher risk profile of larger projects, it was recognised that new procedures were required in order to improve project out-turns, avoid cost overruns and avoid delays to project delivery.

The EY Report “Supporting Excellence: Capital Project and Programme Review Delivery" - commissioned by my Department - identified a range of strengths and weaknesses in the public capital delivery system. It highlighted examples of best practice throughout the public service, but there are also some areas where enhancements are required.

My Department has worked with key sectors and central bodies in published a Supporting Excellence Action Plan with 34 actions to boost public sector capability. Some of the key deliverables were: establishing the Major Projects Advisory Group, the completion by Departments of gap analysis and delivery plans to bridge capability gaps in their sectors, additional funding to boost technical skillsets and upskilling for public servants, and further delivery of Capital Works Management Framework review actions.

In 2023, a review of the support structures and levers available across Government to maximise delivery of projects was undertaken. As a result, a series of actions and reforms were identified as priorities to improve delivery of NDP projects. One of those actions included a review of the capacity in major departments and agencies to deliver on NDP priorities with particular focus on significant capital projects to ensure appropriate resourcing to assist delivery, and in particular the identification of critical staffing and training needs to meet delivery that comes with larger NDP allocations.

Capacity reviews of departments and agencies feed into the estimates process to ensure appropriate resources for project delivery are in place.

Commercial Skills Academy

The Commercial Skills Academy (CSA) is a unit within the Infrastructure Division of the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.

In support of the delivery of the Capital Works Management Framework, the National Development Plan and Project Ireland 2024, the Commercial Skills Academy offer practical training to public servants involved in managing the delivery of public works catering for both developing and experienced practitioners. The training offerings include modular eLearning courses, information sessions, communities of practice networks and classroom training, providing procurement practitioners with an understanding of key issues, commercial skills, and best practice approaches for effective project delivery throughout the entire lifecycle of a public works project.

Civil Service Competency Framework

The Civil Service Competency Framework supports development of the relevant skills needed by civil and public servants, and further supports capability building for individuals across all roles responsible for delivering on behalf of our Government and the people of Ireland.

Major Projects Advisory Group

The Major Projects Advisory Group was set up by the Department to assist us in our project oversight role. Four external experts with extensive experience in planning, managing and delivering major projects were appointed to the Group. This Group scrutinise major project proposals prior to Government consideration and over the last two years have been carrying out this role across significant NDP projects in healthcare, transport and housing, helping to ensure improved project outturns, avoid cost overruns and avoid delays to project delivery.

To ensure value for money, where a project is considered a major project, the Infrastructure Guidelines currently require that this project must be reviewed by the Major Projects Advisory Group (MPAG) at Approval Gate 1, overseen by my Department, to allow for greater scrutiny and clarity regarding such projects. As part of the appraisal process for projects under the Infrastructure Guidelines, Sponsoring Agents and Approving Authorities for the projects are asked to critically consider various aspects of a project in terms of project rationale, options appraisal, governance arrangements, potential schedule and cost implications as well as possible lessons learned from previous projects, which are further developed and refined as a project progresses through the approval gates and more information becomes available as it moves from the preliminary to final business case before the awarding of the contract. This includes both detailed financial and economic appraisal, sensitivity analysis, accounting for behavioural influences such as optimism bias, as well as consideration of appropriate levels of contingency.

Once complete, these MPAG review notes are published online by my department, subject to commercial sensitivities. Adherence to the Infrastructure Guidelines and management of the project overall as it progresses, is ultimately the responsibility of the Accounting Officer of the relevant funding department. It is a matter for each Accounting Officer to decide whether processes in place in his/her department/ office/body and associated agencies are appropriate to ensure compliance with the Infrastructural Guidelines, manage capital budgets overall and manage budgets at an individual project level.

Project Completion Report

Under the Infrastructure Guidelines, following the implementation of a project, Sponsoring Agencies are required to complete a Project Completion Report and Ex-Post Evaluation for the Approving Authority's review. This stage is the last stage of the project lifecycle and is critical for identifying lessons learned and driving the process of continuous improvement in how public bodies evaluate, plan and manage public investment projects. The purpose of the Project Completion Report is to assess if an investment proposal was delivered in line with its intended scope and budget and in line with the Infrastructure Guidelines. The Ex-Post Evaluation, which is conducted once sufficient time has elapsed for the benefits and outcomes to materialise, is to determine if the intended benefits and outcomes materialised and to judge the impact of the investment proposals intervention.

The wider purpose of both the Project Completion Report and Ex-Post Evaluation is to ensure lessons learned from the project or programme translate into improved knowledge for the sector and wider public service, building up a baseline of data within public bodies to inform sectoral guidance, similar projects or programmes and similar elements across investment proposals. Under the Infrastructure Guidelines, these reports should be published and disseminated to support a culture of continuous improvement in the evaluating, planning and managing of public investment. For projects over €50 million, they should be sent to my Department for dissemination and the findings and lessons learned will be reflected in future iterations of appraisal guidance, where appropriate.

National Public Procurement Strategy

Ireland’s first National Public Procurement Strategy, Procuring for Our Future, was published by my Department on 5 August 2026. One of the five pillars in the Strategy focuses on building capability and helping the public sector to deliver. Under this pillar, my Department will put in place measures to assist public buyers in implementing the vision, values and objectives set out in the Strategy. The Strategy also recognises that public bodies should have the appropriate skills, capabilities and governance arrangements in place to deliver procurement effectively. Public bodies should ensure that these arrangements are aligned with, and proportionate to, the scale, complexity and nature of their procurement activities.

The Department also supports the procurement capability building and reform agenda across the public sector, including defining the competencies and skills required by public procurement practitioners, assessing capability and supporting skills development.