Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 May 2026
229. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the mechanisms in place in her Department to ensure delivery on the commitments in the Programme for Government; the civil servant specifically responsible for overseeing such delivery; the measures that are used to assess progress; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [38813/26]
View answerMy Department has a number of mechanisms in place to ensure delivery and assess progress on commitments in the Programme for Government 2025 - Securing Ireland’s Future. These include the Statement of Strategy, the Departmental Action Plan, the annual business planning process and the Department's Annual Reports. The Secretary General of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is responsible for overseeing delivery of relevant commitments in the Programme for Government.
The Statement of Strategy for the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides the framework for the articulation of the Department’s commitments under the Programme for Government. It outlines how the Department will deliver meaningful outcomes for Irish citizens at home and abroad, across six high-level goals and associated outcomes and outputs. The Strategy Statement is part of the Department’s process of strategic management, which ensures alignment between the resource allocations as provided for in the Estimates, business plans at divisional and business unit level, and individual and team objectives derived through the Performance Management and Development System. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s current Statement of Strategy 2026-2029 was published on 12 May 2026.
The Departmental Action Plan 2026, published earlier this year is a useful document that aids us in tracking delivery against the Statement of Strategy and Programme for Government. The Departmental Action Plan sets out over 200 priority actions to be delivered across the Department this year under each of the six high-level goals, outcomes and outputs of the Statement of Strategy. Each action is accompanied by a timeframe for delivery and a business unit owner. Progress on each action under the Departmental Action Plan is closely monitored and reviewed regularly by me, Ministers of State Richmond and Byrne and the Department's Management Board, throughout the year.
Business Planning is an essential component of my Department’s work in delivering commitments under the Programme for Government. Annual business plans for each business unit set out the key objectives and actions that will contribute to the delivery of the high-level goals in the Statement of Strategy and relevant Programme for Government commitments. As part of the business planning process, business units set targets and identify relevant key performance indicators to assess delivery.
Delivery on Programme for Government commitments is also documented annually in the Department's Annual Reports, which highlight main achievements under the Statement of Strategy in a given year.
I would also refer the Deputy to my reply to PQ 28658/26, which outlines progress made on individual Programme for Government commitments, as of April 2026, on which my Department leads, co-leads or plays a significant role.
