asked the Minister for the Public Service if the Government have any plans for a comprehensive reform of the civil service; and, if so, if he will furnish full details.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Service Reform.
24.
As announced in a statement dated 14 September 1977 on the publication of the third report of the Public Service Advisory Council, the Government are fully committed to an effective programme of reform for the whole public service including the civil service. The main elements of this programme are: (i) the development of institutional arrangements for planning in each Government Department as well as the provision of specialised staff support systems in the functions of finance, organisation and personnel; (ii) the separation of responsibility for policy and execution by dividing Departments into policy areas and executive units; (iii) the development of personnel through a policy of mobility; and (iv) the development of a continuous management review of the public service for cost effectiveness.
The programme is elaborated in more detail in paragraphs 6.14 to 6.18 of the Government's White Paper on National Development 1977-1980.
When does the Minister expect some action will be taken on the plans he has outlined and which apparently were originally outlined six months ago?
Action is being taken every day on them.
Can the Minister give any indication of the action which has been taken to date?
As the Deputy knows, when the public service review group reported in 1969 they recommended the establishment of the Department of the Public Service which has been done. Various Departments were chosen for experiments in reform. Five such Departments were chosen. During the past few years work has been going on in those Departments. Greater progress has been made in some Departments. Some Ministers in the former Administration disagreed with the report of the task force and therefore the matter was slowed down. In the past six months the reform programme has been proceeding in those five Departments. It is intended to install task forces in the other nine Departments and reports from them will be published.
While thanking the Minister for the history of the situation, would he answer my question? What action is being taken day by day and what action has been taken over the period of the past six months?
The Deputy asked that question.
It was not answered. Could I ask the Minister to answer the question I asked?
As I said, task forces are working in various Departments at the moment. All Departments have been asked to submit reports on reforms they think necessary in their Departments to the Department of the Public Service. These are being examined and agreed procedures are being outlined in all cases.
May we take it that nothing is being done other than examining the matter?
More has been done in the past six months than was done in the previous four years.
What has been done other than to examine the matter?
Order.