The intended result of policy interventions is the specific dimension of well-being and progress (positive change) that motivates policy action, i.e. what is intended to be changed, with the contribution of the interventions designed. Result indicators are variables that provide information on some specific aspects of results that lend themselves to be measured. Selecting clear result indicators facilitates understanding of the problem and the policy need and will facilitate a later judgement about whether or not objectives have been met. In this context it is useful to set targets for result indicators. The values of result indicators, both for baselines and at later points in time, in some cases can be obtained from national or regional statistics. In other cases it may be necessary to carry out surveys or to use administrative data, such as the VAT registry of enterprises or non-private car commuting levels. As regards results indicators, there has been a shift in the definition applied to ERDF co-funded schemes. Results indicators no longer capture the effects on direct beneficiaries, as they did for the 2007-13 programmes, they now must relate to the changed situation in the co-funded sector or programme area. The monitoring indicators are set out at Investment Priority level in the Operational Programme. These indicators are based on both common output indicators set out by the European Commission and programme-specific output indicators which were developed by the Irish authorities in consultation with stakeholders during programme development in 2013 and 2014. The indicator system was developed to reflect the key activities and objectives of the Investment Priorities. Outputs are the direct products of programmes - they are intended to contribute to results. The intention to change the situation in a certain region, for a sector or group of people (potential beneficiaries) is the raison d’être of the programme. However, public investment programmes often cannot support all persons, areas or enterprises that are concerned by a problem. In most cases only some potential beneficiaries will become actual beneficiaries. One of the tasks at the European level is to aggregate certain information across all programmes in order to be accountable to the Council, Parliament, the Court of Auditors and EU citizens in general on what Cohesion Policy resources are spent on. This is the task of common output indicators defined at EU level.
Indicative List of Evaluations during programme implementation 2014-2020 Title Rationale Objectives Indicative Evaluation Questions (provisional) Evaluation Methods Data Requirements and availability Target Groups / To assess programme progress to date and steer programme for the remainder of the period. To review external developments and the continued relevance of programme and priority objectives and the priority-level intervention logic. To assess programme management and the efficiency, effectiveness, and performance to date To review all programme indicators To draw conclusions and make recommendations from the analysis To what extent has the choice of different schemes been appropriate for generating the expected results? How has the OP performed in the period 2014-2016 and what conclusions should be drawn from such performance? Did the programme assist in meeting Ireland’s targets in the National Reform Programme? Did the programme contribute to the Innovation Union agenda? Is the OP on track to deliver on the national targets of high speed broadband in the unserved settlements? How or did the OP contribute to Ireland’s target under the Mixed-methods, including quantitative and qualitative analysis of programme-derived and administrative data to include a review of the operating environment: (policy and socio-economic context); analysis of the Monitoring Data; with Intermediate Bodies & key stakeholders; literature review of relevant studies and evaluations, including Source: Intervention Logic Annex to the OP Source: Intermediate Body progress reports on IT system and derived data Source: NRP reports To assess contribution of the OP towards the attainment Citizens, Programme Monitoring Committee Members, European Commission, other Programme stakeholders and partners before end of 2018
Title Rationale Objectives Indicative Evaluation Questions (provisional) Evaluation Methods Data Requirements and availability Target Group Impact This evaluation will assess the broad impacts (both intended and unintended effects) of the OP, in particular the economic impacts of Priorities 1,2,3 and 4 of the BMW and the S&E Regional OPs on the respective region To identify the impacts of the co-funded initiatives on the broad regional economy, including. To assess the level of Company engagement / collaboration (SME, HPSU FDI etc.) with funded research centres and the outcomes of the collaboration. To assess the impact of broadband availability on SME growth and development To assess the impact of the OP entrepreneurial growth and expansion To assess the impact of the enery retrofitting schemes on P1: Have industry partners who participated in co-funded projects seen growth as a result of transfer of knowledge from co-operation with academic partners? P1: Did the intervention have an effect on the number of new companies in the region? P2: Has the increase in settlements with high-speed broadband had an economic effect in the region? P3: How have co-funded companies performed in terms of employment and turnover compared to non-funded companies? P3: Does the intervention have enough of intended effects to justify the use of resources? Mixed-methods, including quantitative and qualitative analysis as well as theory-based methods of and administrative data to include a review of the operating environment: (policy and context); analysis of the Monitoring Data; with Intermediate Bodies & key stakeholders; literature review of relevant studies and evaluations, including evaluations Source: SFI studies and evaluations and surveys of funded research centres Source: Enterprise Ireland analyses and surveys of funded institutions and Companies Source: LEOs Company Survey and Comreg analyses Source: LEO client surveys and CSO data Citizens, Programme Monitoring Committee Members, European Commission, other Programme stakeholders and partners before the end of 2022
indicators for the designated gateways and hubs Knowledge and Innovation Natural and Physical Environment Transport and Connectivity, Health and Wellbeing Crime levels Affluence and Deprivation with the results of a perception survey. Evaluation Title Rationale Objectives Indicative Evaluation Questions (provisional) Evaluation Methods Data Requirements and availability Schedule Thematic Evaluations The themes of other specific evaluations will be defined by the OP Monitoring Committee and specific terms of reference will be drawn up by the respective Managing Authority to meet the identified needs. Examples of Thematic Evaluations will be of the integration of the Horizontal Principles (HP) into the OP. (section 10 refers) or To be determined To be determined after the scope of the thematic evaluation is agreed by the Monitoring Committee To be determined after the scope of the thematic evaluation is agreed by the Monitoring Committee Not yet determined
(Common Output Indicator) Unit 3.5 Number of enterprises receiving non-financial support (Common Output Indicator) No. of enterprises ERDF More Developed 11,397 EI LEO Unit Annual 3.6 Number of participants of enterprise training programmes No. of participants ERDF More Developed 46,025 EI & EI LEO Unit Annual 3.7 Private investment matching public support to enterprises (Common Output Indicator) € ERDF More Developed EI LEO Unit Annual 3.8 Number of enterprises receiving EI financial support No. of enterprises ERDF More Developed 110 EI Annual 3.9 Number of enterprises receiving support (Common Output Indicator) No. of enterprises ERDF More Developed 110 EI Annual Priority 4: Low Carbon Economy ID Indicator Unit Fund Category of Region Target Value Source of Data Frequency of Reporting 4.1 Number of Households with improved energy consumption classification (Common Output Indicator) Number of households ERDF More Developed 10,194 DCENR, SEAI and DECLG Annual
4.2 GHG Reduction (Common Output Indicator) Tonnes of CO2 ERDF More Developed 4,560 DECLG Annual Priority 5: Sustainable Urban Development ID Indicator Unit Fund Category of Region Target Value Source of Data Frequency of Reporting 5.1 Number of integrated growth centre strategies No. of strategies ERDF More Developed 7 Annual 5.2 Population (no.) living in areas with integrated urban development strategies (common indicator) No. of people ERDF More Developed 206,208 Annual 5.3 Number of multimodal urban mobility projects implemented No. of strategies ERDF More Developed 3 Annual Priority 6: Technical Assistance ID Indicator Unit Fund Category of Region Target Value Source of Data Frequency of Reporting 1 Number of Monitoring Committee meetings No. of meetings ERDF More Developed 10 ( 1 per year) MA Annual 2 Number of Evaluation Studies conducted No. of studies ERDF More Developed 5 ( 1 per MA Annual
3 Number of annual Information and Publicity Events No. of events ERDF More Developed 7 (1 per annum MA Annual 4 Number of staff employed FTE ERDF More Developed 4.5 MA Annual 5 Number of staff participating in capacity-building measures No. of staff ERDF More Developed 30 MA Annual Computerised system in place for data exchange and Completed system in place ERDF More Developed 1 MA Annual 7 Number of representations on other programme committees for complementarity purposes Number of ERDF More Developed 6 MA Annual S&E Regional OP 2014 -2020 ID Indicator Measurement Unit Fund Category of Region Target Value Source of Data Frequency of Reporting CO 24 Number of new researchers in supported entities Full-Time Equivalents ERDF More Developed 689 SFI Annual 1.1 Number of Awards under the Spokes No. of awards ERDF More Developed 25 SFI Annual
Programme in the S&E Region 1.2 Number of marine research PhDs and Researchers funded No. of researchers ERDF More Developed 21 MI Annual CO 01 Number of enterprises receiving supports No. of enterprises ERDF More Developed 143 EI Annual CO 26 Research, innovation: Number of enterprises with research institutions No. of enterprises ERDF More Developed 143 EI Annual 1.3 Number of Fund Awards No. of awards ERDF More Developed 325 EI Annual CO 04 Number of enterprises receiving support (innovation partnerships) No. of enterprises ERDF More Developed 143 EI Annual Priority 2: ICT Infrastructure ID Indicator Unit Fund Category of Region Target Value Source of Data Frequency of Reporting
CO 10 Additional households with broadband access of at least 30Mbps (Common Output Indicator) No. of households ERDF More Developed DCENR Annual Priority 3: SME Support, Promotion and Capability Development ID Indicator Unit Fund Category of Region Target Value Source of Data Frequency of Reporting CO 01 Number of enterprises receiving supports No. of enterprises ERDF More Developed 51,736 EI LEO Unit Annual CO 02 Number of enterprises receiving grants No. of enterprises ERDF More Developed 1,804 EI LEO Unit Annual CO 06 Private investment matching public support to enterprises € ERDF More Developed EI LEO Unit Annual CO 08 Employment increase in supported enterprises FTE ERDF More Developed 5,760 EI LEO Unit Annual CO 05 Number of new enterprises supported No. of enterprises ERDF More Developed 2,398 EI LEO Unit Annual CO 04 Number of enterprises receiving non – financial support No. of participants ERDF More Developed 17,770 EI & EI LEO Unit Annual
centre strategies implemented records 5.2 Number of multimodal urban mobility projects Number of projects ERDF More developed 4 Managing Authority records Annual Priority 6: Technical Assistance ID Indicator Unit Fund Category of Region Target Value Source of Data Frequency of Reporting 1 Number of Monitoring Committee meetings No. of meetings ERDF More Developed 10 ( 1 per year) MA Annual 2 Number of Evaluation Studies conducted No. of studies ERDF More Developed 5 (1 per MA Annual 3 Number of annual Information and Publicity Events No. of events ERDF More Developed 7 (1 per annum MA Annual 4 Number of staff employed FTE ERDF More Developed 4.5 MA Annual 5 Number of staff participating in capacity-building measures No. of staff ERDF More Developed 30 MA Annual 6 Computerised system in place for data exchange and Completed system in place ERDF More Developed 1 MA Annual