asked the Minister for the Public Service if he will make a statement on the Government's proposals in Serving the Country Better and in particular if he will clarify the implementation which exists or has commenced since the document was published.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - White Paper on the Public Service.
28.
The White Paper on the Public Service —Serving the Country Better— announced a wide range of Government decisions comprising a programme of major development of the public service with particular reference to the Civil Service.
The decisions set out in the document are being implemented on a systematic basis by the Department of the Public Service or other Departments, as appropriate, and progress in this regard is being monitored periodically by the Government. The legislation which is necessary to give effect to certain changes announced in the White Paper is being drafted at present. As evidence of the Government's commitment in this area, I should mention that I have been asked to report on progress at regular intervals, the next report to cover the period to 30 June.
I have already given a detailed report on the progress made in implementing the White Paper in my recent statement on the Estimates for my Department.
I have studied the Estimates documentation. I note that there has been no progress made so there is not much point in asking supplementaries on what has happened because nothing has happened. I might give the Minister an opportunity to clarify one matter, which is, that there is a widely held view that there has been a change in attitude on the part of the Department of the Public Service following the publication of the White Paper on the Public Service Serving the Country Better with regard to industrial relations in semi-State companies, that the Government now seek, through the Department of the Public Service, to interfere and break house agreements that have been in existence for several decades? Perhaps the Minister would clarify that matter.
May I take the opportunity in replying to refute — if I heard the Deputy correctly — the suggestion that no progress has been made. Considerable progress has been made in implementing the proposals in the White Paper and I expect to be able to report considerable further progress in my report to the Government for the period to 30 June 1986. In regard to the change of attitude suggested by the Deputy, again I can refute that.