asked the Minister for the Public Service the progress which has been made in establishing executive offices within the Civil Service.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Civil Service Executive Offices.
26.
As announced in the recent White Paper on the Public Service, Serving the Country Better, I intend to introduce legislation under which Ministers will be enabled to transfer to separate executive offices blocks of purely executive work. This legislation is currently being prepared and I am confident that we will see real progress in this area once the legal constraints on the setting up of executive offices separate from Government Departments have been removed.
Would the Minister give a date when this legislation will be before the House? Will he assure the House that these executive offices will not take away the responsibilities under the Ministers and Secretaries Acts that Ministers are ultimately responsible for functions carried out by civil servants?
As far as the proposed date for the introduction of the legislation is concerned, that is the subject matter of the next question. In my view the content matter of the legislation ought to await publication.
27.
asked the Minister for the Public Service when legislation will be introduced to give effect to the main proposals in the White Paper, Serving the Country Better; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
The drafting of the necessary legislation is in hands at present and it is expected that the Bill will be introduced during the first Dáil session of 1986.
At a press conference launching the recent White Paper on the Public Service, Serving the Country Better, the Minister said that many sections of that White Paper would be implemented by legislation and others by order. Would he tell the House what sections will be covered by legislation? What other sections does he intend to implement and how will that be done?
Various administrative changes have already been introduced, are in the course of being introduced, or are the subject matter of consultation with the staff interests concerned. Others which specifically require amendment to existing legislation are the subject matter of legislation which is being drafted at present and it would not be appropriate to discuss possible legislation while it is still being drafted.
What sections of the report will not require amending legislation? What administrative changes have already taken place, are about to take place or may take place? I do not expect the Minister to tell me every recommendation in the White Paper, but so far he has not given me any information.
A multitude of changes are recommended in the White Paper and this question did not ask which changes might be implemented by administrative means. If a question were tabled to that effect I would endeavour to address it. The Deputy will be aware that the Government recently advertised to recruit 1,000 trainees and interviews are at present taking place. It is hoped that the first of those trainees will be employed in the immediate future. That is an example of administrative change which does not require legislation. On the other hand, changes, which might affect the 1956 Civil Service Act would require legislative changes.
May I take it from the Minister's remarks that he intends to discuss with the various employee representative bodies within the public service the contents of the White Paper and that agreement will be sought before this is implemented either by legislative or by administrative changes?
In a number of areas in the White Paper it was felt that consultation would clearly be desirable. The more important of those were specifically identified in the White Paper and readers's attention was drawn to the fact that it would be the intention of the Government to have consultations with the relevant staff interests. That consultative process is in train at present.