Vol. 446 No. 7
122 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Finance if any of the civil servants in his Department who have undertaken the MSc programme in public sector management have taken any recent initiatives or actions which might affect the principle that Ministers remain responsible for all aspects of the business of their Departments and must answer to Dáil Éireann for them. [2946/94]
One officer of my Department and the Commissioner of Valuation are currently participating in the MSc programme in public sector management in Trinity College Dublin. No initiative or action of the kind mentioned by the Deputy has been taken in my Department or the offices for which I am answerable. I am aware, however, that the Co-ordinating Group of Secretaries set up to oversee the Strategic Management Initiative are preparing a first report which, along with many other issues, addresses the wider dimension of the issue raised by the Deputy and to which the MSc group have collectively made a submission.
123 Mr. Hogan asked the Minister for Social Welfare if any of the civil servants in his Department who have undertaken the MSc programme in public sector management have taken any recent initiatives or actions which might affect the principle that Ministers remain responsible for all aspects of the business of their Departments and must answer to Dáil Éireann for them. [2946/94]
No actions of the kind mentioned by the Deputy have been taken by civil servants in my Department. The principle to which the Deputy refers could be changed only by amending the Ministers and Secretaries Acts, 1924 to 1983, under which Departments of State operate.
