asked the Minister for the Public Service the extent to which the Government have implemented the recommendations of the Devlin Report on public service reorganisation.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Public Service Reorganisation.
2.
The recommendations of the public services organisation review group range over the whole field of public service organisation and practice and provide a long term programme for consideration by my Department. The present position as to implementation is broadly as follows:
The review group's recommendations for the setting up of a Department of the Public Service, separate from the Department of Finance, have been implemented by the establishment of this Department on 1st November, 1973.
A public service advisory council to survey the progress of the reorganisation of the public service, as recommended by the review group, has been established and it will submit its first report before next May.
The review group's recommendations for the separation of policy and execution proposed the creation in each Department of an Aireacht—the central core of the Department, grouped around the Minister, and responsible for policy formulation and overall direction and control—and a number of executive bodies which would be charged with the execution of settled policy. It has been decided to see how this concept could be applied experimentally in four Departments — Health, Transport and Power, Industry and Commerce and Local Government. Task forces at official level were set up to consider the problems of implementation in each case. In two Departments — Health and Transport and Power—clear lines of action have already been established and accepted by the Government and implementation is proceeding accordingly.
The review group also recommended that the staff support functions of finance, planning, organisation, and personnel should be rationalised and specialist units for these functions established in all Departments. Studies are now in hand to determine the most suitable method of implementation of this recommendation in Departments.
A joint consultative council, composed of official and staff side interests concerned, has been considering the complex issues involved in the recommendations of the review group in regard to promotion by merit and the abolition of class barriers.
Staff development, with particular reference to appreciation of the new structures and systems recommended, is being extended through the provision of training by the civil service training centre and the Institute of Public Administration.
Could the Minister indicate in which Department will the experiment first be operational and on what date?
I would not be in a position to say in which Department, the Department of Health or the Department of Transport and Power, the complete Aireacht concept would be in operation. It is now proceeding towards its full implementation in those two Departments.
When does the Minister expect it to be fully operational?
It is well advanced at the moment. As the Deputy will appreciate, all this requires the goodwill of many sections of the public service. Until such time as any difficulties identified are ironed out under the joint consultative council, it is not possible to say explicitly when it will formally begin.
I know the Minister cannot give a specific answer and I do not want to press him too hard, but are we talking in terms of months or over a year or years?
I would hope months.