Brian O'Shea
Question:114 Mr. O'Shea asked the Minister for Finance when the promised Civil Service code of standards and behaviour will be brought into operation; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14497/02]
Written Answers. - Civil Service Code of Standards.
The draft Civil Service code of standards and behaviour sets out in a single document the principles and standards which should govern the behaviour of staff in a modernised Civil Service.
The draft code was approved by Government and laid before the Houses of the Oireachtas on 29 November 2000. In December 2000 the draft code was referred to the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Finance and the Public Service for consideration. Earlier in 2000, in response to a parliamentary question from Deputy John Bruton, I gave a commitment in the House that the draft code would be referred to the joint Oireachtas committee for its consideration. On 13 March 2001, officials from my Department made an oral presentation on the draft code to the joint committee.
At the dissolution of the 28th Dáil, the joint committee was awaiting presentations from other bodies including the Civil Service unions before finalising their deliberations. The draft code will be re-referred to the new committee by an order of the Dáil when the committee has been established. It is expected that the new committee will be established in October 2002.
Any changes recommended by the joint committee, the Standards in Public Office Commission or as a result of the discussions with the Civil Service unions will be re-submitted to Government for final decision before the code is promulgated in the Civil Service.