Inés Olóndriz, President of the Independent Authority for Fiscal Responsibility (AIReF), took part in the seminar on evaluation in the auditing and accountability of public policies organised by the Institute for Fiscal Studies, where she stressed that assessing public policies “matters more than ever” if the quality of public spending is to be improved in a context of limited resources, high public debt and growing spending pressures.
During her speech, entitled “AIReF’s experience in assessment”, Inés Olóndriz underlined that the sustainability of public finances depends not only on how much is spent, but also on how it is spent. She noted that assessment makes it possible to bring evidence into decision-making, identify which policies work, detect room for improvement and offer alternatives to across-the-board cuts in public spending.
She recalled that AIReF’s assessment function has become firmly established in recent years as an activity complementary to fiscal oversight, particularly through the various Spending Review cycles. Since 2017, the institution has made progress both in its methodology and in the volume and diversity of the areas assessed, with growing use of administrative microdata, counterfactual methods, causal inference techniques, microsimulation, cost-benefit analysis, qualitative methods and governance studies.
Inés Olóndriz also noted that AIReF recently approved a resolution to organise and prioritise public spending assessment assignments, with the aim of safeguarding the quality, usefulness and impact of its work. These criteria make it possible to focus assessment efforts on policies with the greatest potential to improve the efficiency and sustainability of public finances, on those linked to European commitments or of a cross-cutting nature, and on assessments that are both timely and feasible.
She also referred to AIReF’s Observatory of Findings and Proposals, an interactive tool developed by the institution to systematise the results of its assessments, give easier access to the findings and proposals put forward, and strengthen transparency and accountability.
The President noted that assessment has already led to real changes in a range of public policies, including measures in the healthcare sector aimed at strengthening the sustainability of the system, promoting the use of biosimilar medicines, and the INVEAT Plan for the renewal and expansion of high-technology equipment in public hospitals. She also mentioned reforms to the university grant system and progress in simplifying and reorganising active labour market policies.
Challenges ahead
Inés Olóndriz pointed to a number of key challenges ahead, including the need to strengthen the legal framework for assessment, extend the culture of assessment across all levels of General Government, improve access to high-quality administrative data and fully integrate assessment into the budget process. She stressed that assessment must come in time to influence decisions, set priorities, review programmes, reallocate resources and guide future budgetary choices.
Looking ahead, Inés Olóndriz identified two key milestones for AIReF: the commissioning of the third phase of the 2022–2026 Spending Review and the new 2026–2030 Spending Review cycle, which must be commissioned before the end of the year. She also recalled that AIReF has launched a public questionnaire on its website to identify which public policies are of greatest interest to citizens and stakeholder groups for future assessment.
The President concluded by stating that assessment is not an end in itself, but a tool for improving public action, enhancing the quality of spending and contributing to the sustainability of public finances through independence, technical rigour and a strong focus on impact.
