Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation

Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation
Department overview
Formed	6 July 2011
Jurisdiction	Government of Ireland
Headquarters	Government Buildings,; Merrion Street,; Dublin; 53°20′21″N 6°15′13″W / 53.33917°N 6.25361°W
Minister responsible	Jack Chambers, ; Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation;
Department executive	David Moloney, ; Secretary General;
Website	Official website

The Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation (Irish: An Roinn Caiteachais Phoiblí, Bonneagair, Athchóiriúcháin Seirbhíse Poiblí agus Digitiúcháin) is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.

The department was established in July 2011, and took over the functions of public expenditure from the Department of Finance.^[1] The department is also responsible for overseeing the reform of the public sector.

Departmental team

The headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are in Government Buildings, Merrion Street, Dublin. The departmental team consists of the following:

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation: Jack Chambers, TD
- Minister of State for the Office of Public Works: Kevin "Boxer" Moran, TD
- Minister of State for public procurement, digitalisation and eGovernment: Emer Higgins, TD
Secretary General of the Department: David Moloney^[2]

Overview

The department took over two of the six divisions within the Department of Finance. They are:

Public Expenditure Division – to establish and review short-term and medium-term current and capital public expenditure targets
Organisation, Management and Training Division – has overall responsibility for the management and development of the civil service

The department has 11 divisions:^[3]

Civil Service Human Resources Division
Corporate Office
Expenditure Policy and Reporting Division
Expenditure Management EU Policy and Audit Division
Human Resources Strategy Unit
Labour Market and Enterprise Policy Division
Public Service Pay and Pensions Division
Office of Government Procurement
Office of the Chief Medical Officer
Office of the Government Chief Information Officer
Reform Division

History

The department was created by the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011 with Brendan Howlin as its first minister.

Date	Effect
4 July 2011	Establishment of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform Transfer of Public expenditure and the public service from the Department of Finance^[4]
5 August 2011	Transfer of various functions from the Department of Finance^[5]
27 September 2011	Transfer of further functions from the Department of Finance^[6]
16 December 2011	Transfer of money laundering and terrorism from the Department of Finance^[7]
19 December 2013	Further functions granted to the Minister^[8]
1 February 2023	Renamed as the Department of Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform^[9]
1 March 2023	Transfer of Standards in Public Office Commission to the Department of Finance^[10]
5 July 2023	Transfer of Standards in Public Office Commission from the Department of Finance^[11]
5 June 2025	Renamed as the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation^[12]

Government reform legislation

Since its establishment, the department has introduced a number of government reform measures:^[13]

Ombudsman (Amendment) Act 2012, which brought approximately 200 additional public bodies under the scrutiny of the Ombudsman;
Houses of the Oireachtas (Inquiries, Privileges and Procedures) Act 2013, to provide for Oireachtas inquiries;
Protected Disclosures Act 2014, protecting whistleblowers;
Freedom of Information Act 2014, expanding the remit of FOI;
Registration of Lobbyists Act 2015 providing for a new registration system; and
Public Sector Standards Bill 2015 to update legislation on ethics in government.

References

^ Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011 (No. 10 of 2011). Enacted on 4 July 2011. Act of the Oireachtas. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 30 June 2021.
^ "Who Does What". Government of Ireland (Gov.ie). Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation.
^ "Sections of the Department". Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. 16 October 2024 [4 December 2018]. Retrieved 22 June 2025.
^ Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2011 (Appointed Day) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 401 of 2011). Signed on 5 July 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 19 August 2011.
^ Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 418 of 2011). Signed on 5 August 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 30 June 2021.
^ Finance (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 480 of 2011). Signed on 27 September 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 30 June 2021.
^ Public Expenditure and Reform (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011 (S.I. No. 647 of 2011). Signed on 16 December 2011. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 30 June 2021.
^ Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Act 2013 (Commencement) Order 2013 (S.I. No. 577 of 2013). Signed on 19 December 2013. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 13 March 2023.
^ Public Expenditure and Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 19 of 2023). Signed on 31 January 2023. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 13 March 2023.
^ Standards in Public Office (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 89 of 2023). Signed on 28 February 2023. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 13 March 2023.
^ Standards in Public Office (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) (No. 2) Order 2023 (S.I. No. 367 of 2023). Signed on 4 July 2023. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 22 June 2025.
^ Public Expenditure, National Development Plan Delivery and Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2025 (S.I. No. 243 of 2025). Signed on 4 June 2025. Statutory Instrument of the Government of Ireland. Retrieved from Irish Statute Book on 22 June 2025.
^ "Government Reform". www.per.gov.ie. Retrieved 2 January 2018.