Vol. 404 No. 1
7 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if he will appoint a Minister of State with specific responsibility for Civil Service reform with a view to taking decisions on the issues raised in the previous Government's White Paper Serving the Country Better.
I am satisfied that the process of reform and improvement of the Civil Service is well catered for by present organisational arrangements, which facilitate the co-ordination of personnel and finance aspects. As my colleague, the Minister for Finance, indicated in the House on Tuesday, 11 December, the process of Civil Service reform is an ongoing one and a substantial programme of improvements is underway.
Would the Taoiseach agree that there are a number of matters contained in the White Paper Serving the Country Better upon which action has not been taken? Would he agree, for example, that no action has been taken in regard to delegating explicit responsibility for decisions to named individuals and groups within the service, giving the possibility of cash bonuses to individual civil servants who perform exceptionally well or requiring each Department to have a clear set of objectives against which performance could be measured? Would the Taoiseach agree that action has not been taken on these aspects of the White Paper and that it might be worthwhile seeking a report either from a Minister of State or through some other means on those recommendations of the White Paper?
I am not particularly enamoured with some of those recommendations. I should like to inform the Deputy that we now have the efficiency audit group who are carrying out high level reviews of a number of Departments. The idea is that the efficiency audit group will go through the public service in time. We also have the idea of introducing administrative budgets for each Department which will give the management of the Departments a new freedom to promote efficiency and economy in their Departments. They are two major developments.
Of course, there is a continuing programme of better management and new personnel systems. There is also the continuing steady increase in the use of information technology and reviews of efficiency of one kind or another. There is a very major programme of ongoing work.
Is the Taoiseach aware that it was envisaged when the White Paper was published that the initial reforms would be underpinned by a comprehensive public service or Civil Service reform Act? May I ask the Taoiseach if it is the intention of the Government to introduce a comprehensive Civil Service reform Act?
No, I do not think that would be appropriate. This is an administrative task and the thing is to get on with it on the ground and in the offices and Departments. I do not think legislation would be any substitute for practical application.
May I ask a final question? Would the Taoiseach not agree that without a change in the law Ministers continue to be personally responsible for the acts of all their civil servants? Would he not agree that a change in the law to allow statutory responsibility to be devolved to individual named civil servants rather than maintaining the myth of ministerial responsibility for everything is necessary if we are to advance the cause of Civil Service reform to its full potential?
I would remind the Deputy that the very important principle, that Ministers are responsible for their Departments, is at the very basis of our democracy. Ministers are responsible to this House for the conduct of their Departments. Civil servants do not either have to come before the House or go before the people but Ministers and, in another way, all Deputies have to. I see a clear differentiation there.
I do not agree.
Quot homines tot sententiae.
Exactly.
