asked the Minister for Finance if he will make a statement concerning the decision of the Government to initiate major changes concerning policy formation and administration in three Government Departments.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Government Policy Formation.
37.
As I mentioned in my budget statement, the Government decided to accept, on an experimental basis, the major administrative reform recommended by the Public Services Organisation Review Group by initiating, in a number of selected Departments, the separation of policy and execution by re-shaping them into an aireacht and a number of executive agencies. The Departments of Industry and Commerce, Transport and Power and Health have been selected for the experiment.
Broadly what is involved is that a Department of State as at present organised should be split into (i) the aireacht, the top level policy-formulation, direction and control area of the Department; and (ii) the executive area comprising executive units which would include non-commercial State-sponsored bodies and executive areas of existing Departments. Commercial State-sponsored bodies would be more loosely associated with the Department.
Co-ordination of the operations of the reorganised Departments will be primarily secured through the management functions of planning, finance, organisation and personnel. I hope to have a full discussion on this aspect of the proposals when the Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill is going through its Second and Final Stages next session.
The full implications of the concept are complex and are set out in the report of the review group. At this stage, I would stress that the experiment will involve, in its initial stages, a full consideration of the existing functions of the Departments, the review and, if necessary, the strengthening of their managerial skills and the regrouping of functions, if appropriate, on the lines indicated by the review group. In addition, it will be for consideration, how far the experiment can be carried out within the existing statutory framework and whether, and at what stage, it will be necessary to approach this House for sanction to any legislative changes that may be indicated.
May I ask the Minister what effect this will have on any policy of decentralisation, this being a regular ministerial gimmick in this House over the past four or five years?
I do not agree that decentralisation is a ministerial gimmick, and I say this change need not have any effect on decentralisation.
Will any of the three Departments mentioned experience decentralisation?
The changeover to the system which the review group recommended need not influence, one way or another, the decentralisation of these three Departments.
Can the Minister state over what period the experiment he mentions will take place?
A six-month period, inside of which it may be possible to find out how the experiment is working, is regarded as reasonable, but there is no rigidity about the period of the experiment.
Question No. 38 withdrawn.