Move comes in the wake of a series of controversies including the Dáil bike shed and ‘posh wall’ outside the WRC
The move is an effort to more effectively manage state spending by strengthening public financial procedures.
Its intention is to drive better value for money at the heart of government decision-making, even as the State’s annual budget expands massively.
It comes after a series of spending controversies surrounding state bodies.
Among them were an Arts Council computer system that didn’t work and an art scanner bought by the National Gallery for €124,000, but not used.
Meanwhile, the OPW was also criticised for the cost of the Dáil bike shed and the spend on a wall around the Workplace Relations Commission.
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Quarterly reporting has sometimes allowed the burial of cumulative costs, so that escalating bills are not immediately visible.
The National Children’s Hospital has cost €2bn and become the most expensive health facility in the world, having originally been estimated short of €300m.
Under the previous system, the Cabinet received multiple memos over a series of weeks about quarterly spending by different departments.
The awkward reporting structure means up to 19 memos are going to the Government each quarter on expenditure management.
A key component of this is how state spending is recorded and reported to Cabinet
These have typically been submitted by the Department of Public Expenditure, and the largest spending departments, making it difficult to apply proper oversight.
To streamline reporting, Mr Chambers will now bring a single memo to the Cabinet following the end of each quarter.
It will report on the overall expenditure position, with departmental outlays included.
Separate quarterly reporting from sectoral departments will thus no longer be required.
“The State will spend more than €105bn this year and one of my key areas of priority as minister is to drive value for money at the heart of government decision-making and to strengthen public financial procedures,” Mr Chambers said.
“A key component of this is how state spending is recorded and reported to Cabinet.
“This is an important reform which brings a more streamlined and focused reporting structure.
“It will reflect state investment in public services and capital projects every three months.
“This is just one initiative in a number of measures I will be implementing in this area to ensure taxpayers’ money is invested in a way that ensures maximum benefit and return.”
Total gross voted expenditure to end-March 2025 amounted to €24.8bn. This is €2bn higher than the same period last year.
Mr Chambers said the additional spending showed the Government’s commitment to investing in public services and improving quality of life for our people.
“Gross capital expenditure of €2.5bn is 42pc ahead year-on-year, which underscores our ambition to deliver the critical infrastructure,” he said.
“It is critical that expenditure on this scale is clearly communicated and managed in a clear and focused way.”
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