Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 16 April 2026
288. Deputy Ken O'Flynn asked the Minister for Health whether funding agreements with non-statutory bodies include defined service-quality standards, measurable performance indicators, and outcome-based metrics; if so, the nature of these metrics; and if not, the rationale for the absence of quantifiable performance benchmarks linked to public funding. [27825/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe 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.
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.
