Gay Mitchell
Question:4 Mr. G. Mitchell asked the Minister for Finance if he will reappoint a Public Service Advisory Council.
Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Service Advisory Council.
In their report for the year ended 31 October 1986, published in 1987, the Public Service Advisory Council stated, in the context of the merging of the Department of Public Service with the Department of Finance, that——
it would seem appropriate that consideration should now be given to resting the Public Service Advisory Council, pending a new approach to the reorganisation of the Public Service.
In this context, the Minister for Finance did not appoint members to the council when the term of office of the then existing members expired. Since then, a number of measures to improve the organisation, efficiency and effectiveness of the public service have been taken. These have included: the rationalisation of the number and functions of State-sponsored bodies; the establishment in 1988 of the efficiency audit group, with strong representation from the private sector to examine working practices and procedures in each Department with a view to improving efficiency and effective savings; the introduction in 1991 of the system of delegated administrative budgets in Government Departments designed to improve management and efficiency and to reduce the real costs of adminstration; the formulation of proposals and up-date and expand the role of the Comptroller and Auditor General. Legislation for this will be circulated during the summer recess and major proposals for restructuring the Civil Service grading system with a view to achieving efficiency improvements.
This programme of reform is still in progress and, at this stage, I do not consider it necessary or appropriate to reactivate the Public Service Advisory Council. However, I will keep the matter under review in the light of future developments in the organisation of the public service.
I thank the Minister for his reply and I am pleased to note that legislation to expand the role of the Comptroller and Auditor General will come before the House. Would the Minister agree that the weakness of the Public Service Advisory Council arose from the fact that their report went to the Department of Finance but if members were reappointed to this council, together with the requirement that they report jointly to the Department and a committee of this House, this would have the effect of their reports being actively considered and then acted upon? Would the Minister consider taking that approach if he were to re-appoint members to the Public Service Advisory Council?
While the reports of the efficiency audit group are not coming before the House, the Deputy will appreciate they are having a major effect on Departments. At this stage the two major reports they have completed in the Departments of Industry and Commerce and Defence have been very effective. The single disadvantage is that the report is not public as it is an internal report, but I would like to see this work through the system for some time because a great many of the procedures they recommended are still not totally established. We should leave things to them for some time. The Public Service Advisory Council found themselves in a position where they were hamstrung and were unable to effect the efficiencies they desired. However, the efficiency audit group are working effectively.
Would the Minister consider extending the role of the Public Service Advisory Council so that they would not only take into account the matters being considered by the efficiency audit group but topics such as good morale in the public service, which would necessitate good industrial relations practices, and the services best delivered by the public service directly and those best hived off to the State bodies or the private sector? I believe matters of that kind could be very actively and properly considered by the Public Service Advisory Council and perhaps the Minister will respond to that aspect of my question. Would the Minister agree the problem arose because the Public Service Advisory Council reported only to the Department of Finance and their reports became an everyday event but if the reports were laid before a committee of this House as well as the Department of Finance——
Let us not forget the time factor for priority questions. If we devote too much time to one question, we will not reach the last question.
——this would solve the problem? If the Ceann Comhairle had not interrupted me I would have been long finished and we would not have wasted all this time.
Some points of merit have emerged from what the Deputy has just said. The new remit that the Comptroller and Auditor General will give to the Committee of Public Accounts might allow for some of these suggestions to be adopted. However, if that is not the case, perhaps we can look again at appointing members to the Public Service Advisory Council. It would be futile to re-establish the council if other bodies are undertaking their functions.