On 17th November last year, I launched the Government's Public Service Reform Plan. The Plan differs from previous initiatives in that it provides a new imperative for cost reductions and service improvements in a context of falling Public Service numbers, linked closely to governance structures and processes designed to ensure implementation. It contains a wide range of actions and commitments, with very clear timelines, to radically reform structures, operations and processes across the Public Service.
These reforms reflect five major commitments to change, namely: placing customer service at the core of everything we do; maximising new and innovative service delivery channels; radically reducing costs to drive better value for money; leading, organising and working in new ways; and a strong focus on implementation and delivery.
The actions set out in the Reform Plan are accompanied by specified timescales for completion and Departments and major Offices have also devised their own high level Integrated Reform Delivery Plans. This combination of reforms at central, sectoral and organisational levels represents an integrated and coordinated approach to change in the Public Service.
The Government's commitment to Public Service Reform was made clear by the decision to establish a Department of Public Expenditure and Reform with a Cabinet Minister dedicated to driving the reform agenda. This has placed Public Service Reform at the centre of government. For the first time, functions and responsibility in relation to the reform of the Public Service are reflected on a statutory basis. We have established a dedicated Reform and Delivery Office in my Department to oversee and drive the reform programme.
Of course, the Cabinet Committee on Public Service Reform plays a central role in ensuring that reforms are focused and milestones achieved. We have also put in place various other governance and support structures to ensure implementation across all sectors of the Public Service. In terms of expenditure targets, it is clear from the Comprehensive Expenditure Report 2012-2014 published on 5th December last, the Capital Infrastructure Plan published on 10th November 2011 and the Implementation Body publication of the Public Service Agreement Progress Report on the 17th November 2011 that the Government is making good progress on achieving all of our targets and priorities, as articulated in the Government Programme, in terms of both bringing public expenditure back to a sustainable level and driving forward the Public Service reform agenda to ensure that efficiencies and reformed work practices play a full part in contributing to the overall budgetary consolidation effort. The Government has repeatedly affirmed its commitment to its targets and is confident that these targets will be met.
I should also mention the new "Performance Budgets" initiative which I launched last week. This initiative heralded a completely reformed budgetary process where information is used and presented in a modern and accountable manner. This will allow for the Dáil to be fully involved in expenditure policy and to hold Ministers and public service managers to account for their spending. As part of this process, last month I wrote to the Chairs of all of the Dáil Select Committees, inviting them to start engaging straight away with Ministers and Departments on the expenditure allocations for 2013.
