A MAJOR OVERHAUL of the rules and guidance for state spending is to be set out to Cabinet today by Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers.

The minister is expected to outline to government details of a review of the public finance procedures his department commenced to ensure better value for money on State investment. 

Public finance procedures are a key document that sets out expenditure management rules and the legal framework underpinning these rules, as well as how this should be applied to day-to-day decision making in Government departments.

The current procedures have not been reviewed since 2008.

Chambers is expected to highlight the massive changes to operational practices in the time since, particularly in the case of infrastructure and accounting standards.

He’s also expected to say that state expenditure has increased by more than 50% in the last five years. The review of the current procedures is to target budgetary discipline within departments.

Jennie’s Law

Other items to be brought forward to Cabinet today include Jennie’s Law, which is to be brought for approval by Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan.

The law is named in honour of Jennifer Poole. Jennifer was 24 when she was murdered by her ex-partner, 30-year-old Gavin Murphy, in 2021.

Murphy had a previous conviction for assaulting a former partner and had a history of abusive behaviour. Jennifer was not aware of this. 

The new law will allow those convicted of domestic violence against a current or former partner to be publicly named on a Register of Judgements.

The Domestic Violence Register be will managed by the Courts Service and victims will be required to provide consent before the convicted abused can be named on the public register.

Housing

Housing Minister James Browne is also to update government on progress in bringing vacant and derelict properties back into use as homes.

He’s expected to inform his colleagues that data from local authorities on the compulsory purchase of vacant and derelict properties in 2023 and 2024 has been collated, amd will now be published annually.

Separately, the minister is to bring the review of the National Emergency Coordination Group’s response to Storm Éowyn to Cabinet. 

A steering group was established after the storm, which wreaked havoc across the country in January.

Their review focuses on critical infrastructure resilience policy, humanitarian assistance during emergencies, and national coordination for severe weather emergencies.