John Perry
Ceist:96 Mr. Perry asked the Minister for Finance the development which has taken place on the terms of reference and the proposed approach on training and development and partnership in the Civil Service. [24827/01]
Written Answers. - Civil Service Training and Development.
The primary responsibility for training and development of Civil Service staff rests with each Department. Under the public service modernisation process, it is the responsibility of each Department to develop an integrated human resources strategy which includes provision for staff training and development.
The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness sets out a number of basic objectives for enhancing training and development for management and staff at all levels in the Civil Service. It set a basic target spend on Civil Service training and development of 4% of payroll to be achieved by 2003. Progress towards achieving this target has been made with average expenditure on training and development increasing to 2.45% of payroll in 2000, with some Departments having already exceeded the target.
Implementation by Departments of the new performance management and development system, PMDS, which was designed in consultation with staff and unions, is generally progressing well. PMDS provides a comprehensive framework to ensure that the training and development needs of the individual are identified and links those needs directly to the business and strategic objectives of the Department or office.
The quality assurance groups set up under the PPF are required to take into account the extent to which the increased commitment to training and development is contributing to greater organisational capability and flexibility in the delivery of customer needs and preferences.
My Department's centre for management and organisation development, CMOD, recently circulated to Departments a consultative policy document, Towards Learning, on a strategic approach to human resource development in the Civil Service in the medium term. CMOD will be consulting with Departments over the coming months with a view to putting in place, in partnership with them, a strategy to address the full range of learning needs emerging in the service.
As regards partnership, a consultancy study entitled, Partnership at Work in Ireland – An Evaluation of Progress under Partnership 2000, by consultants O'Donnell and Teague found that there has been significant progress on partnership in the Civil Service. Partnership committees have been established in every Department or office and most have formulated action programmes to implement their Department's strategy in a partnership mode.
The General Council Agreement on partnership provided for a review of partnership after a period of time in operation. A review of the partnership process is under way in accordance with the terms of the PPF. This will, among other things, consider the support needed to further develop the partnership structures.