Gerald Nash
Question:385. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the status of the Public Service 2020 strategy; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20494/20]
View answerThursday, 30 July 2020
Questions (385)
Written answers
I am pleased to inform the Deputy that the significant reforms in the public sector initiated by my Department since it was established in 2011 continues to deliver improved services and value for money across a range of areas. Moreover, a number of these reforms - such as the ‘build-to-share’ ICT infrastructure, progressive digitalisation of services, a streamlined and centralised Government procurement system, shared-services, as well as centralised strategic HR capability – have greatly facilitated our civil and public services in responding rapidly to the unprecedented challenges that have emerged from the Covid 19 public health emergency.
The current framework for public service reform and innovation, Our Public Service 2020 (OPS 2020) – launched at end-2017 - builds on earlier programmes of reform while expanding their scope in order to accelerate the digital delivery of public services, deliver better services to customers, drive innovation and develop our people and organisations.
Some notable examples of reform initiatives delivered under Our Public Service 2020 include:
- Transforming and driving Digital Delivery of Services, such as for example; An Garda Síochána's Active Mobility Service; Passport on-line; Library Service’s My Open Library initiative; Revenue Commissioners PAYE Modernisation programme;
-Driving the take-up of Robotic Process Automation including the establishment of Procurement Framework to enable draw down of support and expertise;
- Innovation: A pilot Innovation Fund to support Public Service innovation, launched in May 2019; establishment of a central Innovation Support Team and Innovation Studio; launch of a first Public Service wide Innovation Network and first Public-Service wide Innovation Week held on 9-13 December 2019;
- A significant strategic workforce planning initiative commenced in selected public service organisations;
- An initiative to support greater diversity and inclusion in our Public Service;
- Creation of a Public Service Leadership Board (PSLB) - at Sec Gen equivalent level- supported by the Public Service Management Group (PSMG).
Further details of these and the other reforms that continue to be delivered can be found in the first progress report on Our Public Service 2020, published last October. Information and up-dates on the full range of OPS 2020 activities can also be accessed at the website OPS2020.gov.ie.
The Department intends shortly to begin consultations on developing a successor framework to OPS2020: This vision and strategy will focus on large-scale ambitious transformation to support the delivery of better public services through enhanced: service delivery; collaboration; innovation; data and insight; and people and organisations, while embedding the key gains made in digitalisation, the use of data, a growing culture of innovation, and programme management.