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Dáil Éireann debate -
Wednesday, 27 Feb 2002

Vol. 549 No. 4

Ceisteanna – Questions. - Strategic Management Initiative.

Michael Noonan

Question:

8 Mr. Noonan asked the Taoiseach if he will report on the implementation in his Department of the strategic management initiative; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6281/02]

The modernisation programme in the Department supports the achievement of the Department's goals as set out in the recently published strategy statement for the period to end 2003. The strategy statement identifies objectives to be met in relation to each strategic priority, emphasising expected outcomes. The objectives for the Department are implemented through the business plans developed at division and section level and individuals' objectives are agreed as part of the performance management and development system.

The objectives of the Department's modernisation programme, based on the key modernisation objectives outlined in the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, are to position the Department to meet the ongoing changes in the external environment, to provide an excellent service to customers, to maintain a strategic focus on the Department's role and functions, to ensure the provision of leadership and co-ordination across key areas of Government policy and to work in partnership with departmental staff to effect the required changes. In accordance with the terms of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness, my Department has submitted performance indicators for its modernisation programme, developed through the internal partnership process, to the independent Civil Service quality assurance group. Specific actions and target dates, across all aspects of modernisation, are covered by the Department's performance indicators. My Department will submit a report to the quality assurance group after 1 April, which will outline progress in achieving its performance indicators. The group will then make an independent assessment of each Department's progress in meeting the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness objectives in relation to the modernisation agenda, including progress made by my Department.

Progress has been made on each of the key indicators. As I indicated in my reply to this question on 27 November, a change management unit has been established to support the implementation of the modernisation programme.

All staff have attended a presentation on the performance management system and comprehensive training courses are ongoing. As a further support for staff, career development training is currently under way, focusing on the development of the core competencies identified for the Department. A customer action plan for 2001 to 2004 has been published and made available on my Department's website, informed by the results of customer surveys. An extensive sample customer survey was undertaken in February 2001, which showed very positive results with 90% to 100% of customers regarding the levels of service as either good, very good or excellent.

My Department has been involved in providing central co-ordination and impetus to the Information Society and e-Public Service agenda. Internally, it has prepared its e-strategy and is engaged in a number of e-Government projects, notably the e-Cabinet project and the upgrading of the website.

Work is under way on a number of human resource management initiatives, including the re-orientation of the human resource function, the upgrading of training facilities and the development of an integrated human resource strategy and staff development plan. A survey was recently issued to all staff as part of the consultative process for the plan. In addition, a gender equality policy for the Department has been agreed as part of the partnership process and circulated to all staff.

My Department is among the leading Departments in implementing the new management information framework. A new financial management computer system has been selected and is scheduled to be implemented in July 2002. The approach used by my Department has since been adopted as a model by a number of other Departments.

To date, I am satisfied with my Department's contribution to achieving this Government's objectives through the implementation of its strategy, including the modernisation objectives.

I am glad to see the place is in such good shape before we move into it.

It is ticking well anyway.

The Taoiseach referred briefly to e-Government in his reply. Since the e-commerce Act came into operation, has any real progress been made under the strategic management initiative within his Department because I gathered from his reply that it is almost at a pre-consultative stage?

No, that was in 1997. The statements, the programmes and the modernisation schemes are now well under way. However, there is an ongoing requirement in the Civil Service for training and retraining. Due to the level of technology and the fact that the Civil Service is now engaged with its customers and is working on strategy statements, people are having an input into what they do. They are not being told in the old ways. Their mission statements have been set down. It is an entirely different culture under the Public Service Management Act and the amount of engagement by staff, at all levels and in all grades, is enormous.

As I set out in my reply, the modernisation programme is in place, not for the good of its health but to support the Department in its objectives. Equally, it is there to make the job more interesting for public servants in order that they feel part of and have an influence in the programme.

I am not saying that it is 100% perfect in my Department or in other Departments, but the strategic management initiative and what has happened in the past decade since it started is certainly making it far more interesting and far more technologically driven than most people would probably have thought.

There is still quite a good deal of work to do. In my Department, since the start of the year people have been doing training on all of these issues, bringing them up to date with new strategies. That has a good motivational effect on the Department and on civil servants, not only on younger ones but on civil servants generally throughout the ranks. It helps them in their objectives to improve their careers and go for interviews and try to improve themselves, and it gives them an involvement. It is all part of both doing the job for the Government and for the people, but also helping the staff to play a role in what their job is about. There had been a criticism in the public service that nobody ever explains things but they do now.

Nuair a chím an tAire agus an tAire Stáit sa Roinn Ealaíon, Oidhreachta, Gaeltachta agus Oileán in aice leis an Taoiseach b'fhéidir gur maith an seans é chun ceist a chur ar an Taoiseach maidir le tionchar an SMI ar an Ghaeilge sa státseirbhís. Dúirt an Taoiseach that it was not there for its own health ach b'fhéidir gur féidir an cheist a chur an bhfuil sé ann ar mhaithe le sláinte na Gaeilge chomh maith. Ní fheicimse mórán tagairt don Ghaeilge san eolas a thagann chugainn mar gheall ar an Strategic Management Initiative nó b'fhéidir go bhfuil leagan Gaeilge ar sin nach bhfuil agam go fóill.

An féidir leis an Taoiseach a rá an mbeidh sé in oiriúint do Bhille na Gaeilge nuair a thiocfaidh sé? An féidir an Bille a nascadh leis an SMI?

I understand that will be part of the philosophy and strategy of Bille na Gaeilge but, in reply to the Deputy's question, it applies across all Departments and agencies and the same principles apply. The Public Service Management Act, 1997, requires Departments to provide progress reports and apply the implementation of strategy statements. Every Department is responsible for that.

The issue of staff, not only in the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands but in every Department, who are able to deal with customers' issues and can provide the information in the Irish language is part of that statement.

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