John Bruton
Question:22 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the work of his Department in deepening and strengthening the SMI process through the civil and public service; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12674/00]
Written Answers - Strategic Management Initiative.
Ruairí Quinn
Question:23 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach if he will make a statement on the progress of the strategic management initiative in bringing about reform in the public sector. [12755/00]
Ruairí Quinn
Question:24 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach the progress which has been made by the SMI unit of his Department and the statute law revision unit in the Attorney General's office in relation to the programme of restatement, revision and consolidation of primary and secondary legislation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12756/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 22 to 24, inclusive, together.
I last briefed the Dáil on progress under the strategic management initiative in October 1999. At that time I referred to the launch last July of the next phase of the SMI, and to the specific initiatives which were designed to improve the functioning of the Civil Service and its capacity to deliver high quality services effectively.
A table which will be circulated in the Official Report shows the progress of various elements of the SMI. I am looking forward to continuing further early progress on the individual initiatives.
The agreement of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, with its focus on public service modernisation, will facilitate the speedy implementation of the framework for public service modernisation, with a particular emphasis on developing a sectoral approach. Strategies for the Civil Service and the education, health and local authority sectors are set out in detail. The programme also makes a specific link between the achievement of performance indicators relating to the modernisation programme and the payment of the final 4% of the pay agreement. The SMI implementation group will issue guidelines to Departments to assist them in meeting the requirements under the programme.
On the specific issue of regulatory reform, the following are the main developments. In July 1999 the Government published Reducing Red Tape – An Action Programme of Regulatory Reform in Ireland. Among other things, the action programme required each Department and office to consult with customers and other interested parties as to the priorities for regulatory reform. Based on those consultations, each Department and office has now listed the relevant legislation, both primary and secondary, and the regulatory reform unit and the Statute law revision unit in the Office of the Attorney General have been working closely to establish priorities for a work programme of consolidation, revision, repeal or restatement, as appropriate. Consultation with Departments and offices on this programme is ongoing. When completed, the work programme will be submitted by me to Government for its approval. At a recent meeting, the Government agreed to the publication of a Bill which will empower the Attorney General to prepare versions of Acts of the Oireachtas, to be known as restatements, in a more readable form without altering the substance of the legislation and, accordingly, will not require the approval of the Houses of the Oireachtas. The aim of this proposal is to make statute law more accessible and readable. It is expected that the Bill will be brought before the Oireachtas as soon as possible. Finally, the OECD are undertaking a country review of regulatory reform in Ireland, which will be completed early next year.
These initiatives demonstrate the Government's ongoing commitment to making it easier, where possible, to do business with Government, and to make legislation more coherent and accessible.
Update on SMI
|
Issue |
Update |
|
QCS Working Group |
The QCS working group has reviewed the QCS principles of 1997. It has suggested changes to the principles. These revised principles will go to Government shortly.The QCS working group has also set up three sub groups; best practice, benchmarking and equality/ diversity |
|
Regulatory Reform |
Departments and offices were asked to list relevant legislation, identifying scope for consolidation, revision and/or repeal. This process has been completed. The SMI unit of the Department of the Taoiseach and the statute law revision unit of the Office of the Attorney General will work closely to establish priorities for reform. When approved this work programme will be submitted to the Government.Ireland has been selected to take part in the OECD's country review programme on regulatory reform for 2000. A delegation from the OECD is due to visit Ireland between 19-23 June 2000 to meet Departments and relevant bodies and agencies as part of the information gathering stage of the review. The OECD expects to publish the final report in early 2001 |
|
Performance Management |
The general council report on performance management and development has been agreed. The system is being formally rolled out to Departments and offices and the official launch of the programme took place on May 11. |
|
HRM Issues(a)Recruitment |
Work is continuing on recruitment with the intended changes to the Civil Service Commission being overseen by the HRM working group.The Department of Finance is currently working on producing draft heads of a new Public Service Recruitment Bill |
|
(b)Equality |
The equality sub-group is now at an advanced stage of finalising a draft new gender equality policy which it is intended to be submitted to the Government very shortly.A seminar is being organised on 13 June to launch a discussion on the new policy.The report ‘Gender Equality in the Civil Service' has been published and circulated to key groups in the civil service. The executive summary of the report will have been circulated to all civil servants by mid-May 2000. |
|
(c)Code of Practice |
This code is being finalised at present and will be submitted to Government shortly. |
|
(d)Other HRM Issues |
These include important issues such as promotion, tenure and training etc., and are being addressed by the HRM working group. |
|
Financial Management |
Work is continuing on the roll-out of the new financial management model. Both the technical issues and the project management sub-groups of the consultative committee of assistant secretaries have met on a number of occasions. The Department of Finance has met with most Departments and offices at this stage. |
|
Information Technology |
Proposals for the delivery of integrated electronic public services were recently agreed by Government. The SMI implementation group will now consider the next steps in the context of the development of strategies by each Government Department for the delivery of e-public services. |
|
Partnership |
A report on the evaluation of partnership entitled partnership at work in Ireland An evaluation of progress under P2000', has been completed and will be published following submission to Government. Included in the report are recommendations to enhance the role of the National Centre for Partnership. |