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Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Tuesday, 5 Nov 2002

Vol. 556 No. 3

Written Answers. - Public Service Modernisation Programme.

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

398 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the key performance indicators being used by his Department; the performance in respect of these for the past five years; and if a commentary is published on these performance indicators linking them to objectives and activities. [20311/02]

Richard Bruton

Ceist:

399 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Education and Science the key performance indicators of the agencies which his Department funds; the performance in respect of these for the past five years; and if these agencies publish a commentary on these performance indicators linking them to objectives and activities. [20327/02]

I propose to take Questions Nos. 398 and 399 together.

The modernisation programme for the public service sets out objectives for continuous improvement in service delivery, management of resources and organisational responsiveness. The Programme for Prosperity and Fairness specified objectives to be achieved under the modernisation programme during the period of the programme. Department specific indicators were developed for the Department's modernisation programme and these were agreed through the Department's partnership committee. The Department submitted a final progress report to the Civil Service quality assurance group in June 2002 outlining the progress made in achieving the targets set. The Department also initiated an information and reporting process to extend the modernisation programme to the bodies under its aegis. The Civil Service quality assurance group decided that the progress achieved up to April 2002 met the requirements of the Programme for Prosperity and Fairness.

The Department's strategy statement sets out the objectives and programmes of the Department and progress is reported annually in the Department's annual report. The goals outlined in the strategy statement are incorporated into the business plans of each unit of the Department and performance indicators are set. The progress achieved in meeting the targets set in the current strategy statement for 2001 to 2004 will be included in the annual report for 2001 due to be published shortly. As the Deputy will be aware, a new strategy statement is now required to be put in place and work on this is progressing.

Institutions under the aegis of the Department developed performance indicators in a partnership process to measure the achievement of objectives in accordance with the requirements of the PPF. A quality assurance group for the education sector comprising management, trade union and customer-client representatives carried out an assessment of progress. The group concluded in its report that progress in achieving the objectives of the modernisation programme throughout the sector was commensurate with the requirements of the PPF.

Question No. 400 answered with Question No. 321.

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