Brian Hayes
Question:394 Mr. B. Hayes asked the Minister for Social, Community and Family Affairs if all the regional offices of his Department have established partnership committees; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [28970/01]
Written Answers. - Partnership Committees.
Workplace partnership commenced in my Department in November 1998 with the setting up of a steering committee chaired by the secretary-general. In May 1999 five regional committees were established to oversee the implementation of partnership across my Department's network of headquarter, regional and local offices throughout the country.
The steering committee and regional committees are comprised of management, union and staff representatives. The aim is to achieve common ownership of the Department's modernisation programme and to provide ways of involving staff in decisions affecting their work and the work of my Department generally. The partnership committees have discussed a wide variety of issues since their establishment, including human resources management, customer service, the strategy statement and performance management and development.
It is my Department's policy to bring partnership to local level where its benefits can be most apparent to staff and, in this regard, a total of 30 local committees have been set up in my Department which now has the most extensive partnership structures in the Civil Service.
The programme to extend and strengthen partnership is continuing with the aim of embedding the process in all areas of the organisation, particularly in the larger offices. Appropriate training is provided to staff involved in the committees.
The partnership process is currently being evaluated across the Civil Service and its further development in my Department will be informed by this review along with some internal review work which is being carried out as part of a new training programme from the steering committee and the five regional committees.