Noel Dempsey
Ceist:8 Mr. Dempsey asked the Minister for the Environment if he intends to publish the strategic management initiative drawn up by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18812/95]
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Strategic Management Initiative.
A strategy statement was prepared in my Department last year as an initial response to the Strategic Management Initiative. The statement is at present being revised to take account of subsequent developments, including the policy commitments in A Government of Renewal. I am happy to confirm that it is my intention to publish a document in the new year setting out the results of our work in this area.
Did any consultations take place with county managers or local authorities during the preparation of the strategy statement or the review of it?
The statement to which I referred is part of a process tied into the Government's policy agreement. The Minister of State, Deputy Avril Doyle, has special responsibility for the SMI.
The preparation of the statement involved consultation with departmental staff and local authority staff. Even though it is an internal document which is part of a process, the structure of it is as follows: to analyse the strength and weaknesses of the Department, to examine the opportunities offered and the threats posed by the external environment in an effort to ensure that we provide a better service to the public, to set out a mission statement for the Department on its overall objectives and to give a brief description of further work which needs to be done to develop the process within the Department.
A further document entitled "Divisional Strategies — Key Activities and Targets" has also been prepared. It comprises a detailed action programme to achieve objectives set out in the statement, together with target performance indicators etc. Other SMI related activities in the Department include the establishment of a training and development co-ordinating committee, a review of the Department's information publication activities, a review of arrangements to consult and get feedback from clients, customers and other people with whom the Department does business and preliminary consideration of the relevance of formalised quality systems such as ISO 9000 and the Q mark to services provided by us to the public, for example, housing grants, driver testing etc. This ongoing process is our contribution to the overall Government process. Like other Departments, I hope to be in a position to publish a comprehensive statement on the initiative during 1996.
Will the Minister outline in more detail the consultations which took place with the CCMA, members of local authorities or their representative bodies?
I wish to differentiate between the two processes. The first is a strategic management initiative for the Department and this has primarily a departmental focus. This involved consultation but not of the type to which the Deputy referred. The next step in the process will be a strategic management initiative for local authorities and semi-State bodies. Some local authorities are already preparing for this but it is envisaged that it will not happen until the Civil Service end of the initiative is finalised, which I hope will be during the first half of 1996.
The Minister referred to divisional strategies and the initial statement. In regard to the feedback from customers, were local authorities included? I understand there was little or no contact between the Department and local authorities in regard to the process? Is the Minister saying this consultation will take place during the next few months?
The process is ongoing. Last year a strategy statement was prepared in the Department by my predecessor but I am not sure what consultations he engaged in. This is only part of a process which will involve discussions with the management and representatives of the elected membership before it is concluded within my Department. There will be much more detailed engagement between the Department and members of local authorities in the development of a strategic management initiative for local government.