About our Certificate in Public Expenditure and Financial Management

The aim of this course is to provide public sector employees with essential knowledge and skills in public financial procedures and control, and to build competence in important and essential aspects of financial management thereby enhancing their skill base in this area.

The course will take a practical approach and will focus on relevant financial management tasks, as opposed to theory. There will be plenty of interaction with lecturers and other attendees and there will be practical examples that relate back to the workplace, as well as detailed handouts and notes. Attendees will go away with useful reference points for their work. The tutors will test knowledge gained, and the ability to apply it.

A valuable insight into relevant issues and an understanding of best practice will be obtained that will maximise the contribution the participants will bring to their parent organisation upon completion of the course.

Following the successful completion of the course, attendees will have acquired knowledge and developed skills and techniques which will give them the ability to perform financial functions for their organisations efficiently and well.

On completion of this course graduates will:

  • Improve their organisation’s finance function and performance both within the organisation and in an inter-organisational context.
  • Interpret and analyse a range of financial reports – including the cash basis of accounting along with asset registers and balance sheets

They will also be able to:

  • Develop financial planning and control functions;
  • Structure and prepare a budget;
  • Control and manage a budget;
  • Evaluate budget/programme performance against budget;
  • Prepare for a policy or expenditure review;
  • Have a good understanding of essential financial concepts and the framework within which the financial administration of the State operates in the public sector through the Oireachtas, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Appropriation Accounts and the Public Accounts Committee; and
  • Understand the nature and determinants of the public finances and the Estimates and Budgetary Cycle.

This course is endorsed by the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM). Attendees will receive an ICM continuing professional development (CPD) certificate on successful completion of the course, including a single assignment to be completed after the taught aspect of the course has ended.

Did you know?

PAI offer all of our courses as In-House programmes. For more information, see our page on In-House Training.