The Technical Working Group Report is a set of operational guidelines agreed with the Unions and finalised in 2007 and was written in the context of the technology available at the time. In the last eight years, since the rollout of the Report in 2011, there has been considerable advancement in technology and processes. Advice on roles, duties and procedures have been issued via Departmental Guidelines to all staff working in the relevant locations and training awareness delivered, has been in line with those Guidelines as noted in the Technical Report.
The PMDS process is competency-based and is a tool designed to help staff and support managers identify the areas of work they need to focus on. In that sense PMDS takes into account the role and duties of an individual and helps them assess their own performance in the role. PMDS also helps and encourages development in order to continuously improve in a structured way, on a yearly basis.
I am advised that my Department is currently engaged in a process with the Unions in re-examining aspects of the Technical Report noted.