The Department has now launched a new Databank website  that provides comprehensive information on every aspect of Government expenditure over the years.  Users can easily create tables and spreadsheets showing how spending on current, capital, or pay has evolved since 1994, whether for the whole of Government or for individual Departments, and the Databank even generates graphs automatically.

The Department plans to make further information available in the near future:  every “subhead” of expenditure – the individual units that usually correspond with individual schemes and programmes – will be available on the Databank within weeks.  This will provide the public with an unprecedented volume of historical and current data about how public money is spent, in what area, and how the expenditure trends have moved over the years.

Over time, the Department of Public Expenditure & Reform will put all appropriate information in the hands of the public via the new Databank.  As well as historical and annual information, it is intended that monthly Exchequer data, General Government expenditure data, and the Purchase Orders made by every Government Department and Agency will be made available for public scrutiny.

The Department is keen to respond to suggestions from the public, or from researchers, about additional information that could be released via the Databank.  Suggestions should be sent to the e-mail address info@databank.per.gov.ie