asked the Minister for Finance if his attention has been drawn to the Report of the Committee on Public Accounts which states that the pace of decision making was not related to modern standards; if any action is being taken to improve civil service procedure in this regard; and, if so, what action.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Service Procedure.
13.
I have read the Report of the Committee on Public Accounts to which the Deputy refers. In accordance with the normal procedure, the Department concerned will furnish to my Department their observations on the report of the committee in relation to this particular case. In due course a minute will be laid before the committee which will incorporate the observations of the Minister for Finance on this and on other matters reported on by the committee.
Without offering any comment at this stage on the statement of the committee in regard to this case, I can certainly say that energetic action is being taken to improve the process of decision-making in the Civil Service. Programmes of staff training and development, both on the job and by attendance at courses, are being intensified. Increasing attention is being paid to modern management techniques such as cost-benefit analysis, management by objectives, operational research and systems analysis for automatic data processing and other purposes.
I have no doubt that the setting up of the Public Service Department, in accordance with the decision announced earlier this year, will enable further improvements to be effected in Civil Service organisation and procedures.