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Delivering Public Service Reform in IrelandPresentation to EUPAN
Informal Meeting of Directors General13th June, 2013
Paul Reid, Reform and Delivery Office
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
One of the key enablers of change is to have a burning platform
Extremely challenging fiscal, industrial and public agenda
Fiscal andeconomiccrisis
Expenditureconsolidation
Reduceheadcount
Increaseddemands forservices
Rebuildpublic trust
Maintainindustrialpeace
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Three core elements to our strategy of Public Service Reform
LRC PROPOSALS
PUBLIC SERVICE STABILITYAGREEMENT 2013 – 2016
THE HADDINGTON ROADAGREEMENT
May 2013
Strategic
Political
Operational
Strategic
We launched an ambitious & comprehensive Public Service Reform Plan
A plan with clear timelines and ownershipthat transforms;
1.How we are organised
2.How we lead and manage people
3.Our future vision and strategy
Strategic
Fundamental reforms of how we are organised to deliver
•Shared services
•Outsourcing of non core work
•Procurement reform
•Property consolidation
•eGovernment / ICT / Cloud strategies
•Rationalisation of state agencies
•Expenditure reforms
Reforming how we are organised
Whilst at the same time continuously reducing public service numbers
Strategic
Fundamental reforms of T&C’s and the leadership of people
•Strengthened performance management
•Revised pension entitlements
•Revised rosters in front line services
•Rationalisation of annual and sick leave
•Single Public Service Pension Scheme
•Workforce planning
•Senior management mobility
•Investment in coaching and mentoring
Reforming how we lead and manage
Political
•Ombudsman Amendment Bill (Oct 2012)
•Freedom of Information (Amendment) Bill
•Protected Disclosure Bill (Whistleblowing)
•Regulation of lobbying
•Houses of the Oireachtas Inquiries Bill
•Accountability Framework for the Civil Service
Rebuilding the public trust in the State
Reforming the political and administrative framework
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LRC PROPOSALS
PUBLIC SERVICE STABILITYAGREEMENT 2013 – 2016
THE HADDINGTON ROADAGREEMENT
May 2013
Operational
•5 months of intensive negotiations on pay and pensions bill
•14M extra hours to be worked across sectors, without pay
•Further pay reductions for all earning over €65K
•Reductions in:
•overtime rates and volume
•cost of premia payments
•agency workers
•costs of increments
•Supports further headcount reductions
•Radical reform of working arrangements in each sector
A negotiated set of proposals to sustainindustrial peace and deliver further savings
The largest productivity deal in the history of the state
Proposals to deliver savings of €300M (0.2% of GDP) in 2013
and €1BN (0.7% of GDP) by 2015
Strong political oversight with a robust governance model
Dedicated Cabinet Committee on Reform
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A robust Governance Model
Presenting single view of reform progress to Government
In the first 18 months we have made significant progress
•Expenditure deficit reduced to 7.6% (from 11.5% in 2009) andto go below 5% in 2014
•Transformation of budget and expenditure processes andcontrols
•Overall headcount reduction from 320K to 291K (since 2008)
•Pay bill to be reduced by 20% by end 2015
•Implementation commenced on shared services withsavings of between 17%-27%
•Procurement plan agreed by Government to save €500M(0.3% of GDP) over the next 3 years
•Outsourcing agenda commenced
•Major reforms on staff entitlements (annual leave, sick leave,pensions)
•Recruitment and appointment of key specialist skills in IT,Procurement, programme governance, shared services
•Publication of performance data – IrelandStat
There are many challenges in implementing Public Service Reform
High level / politicalsupport
Stability - PublicService Agreement(s)
Robust approach tothe delivery
Balance central andsectoral initiatives
Effectivecommunications
Leadership andownership
Capacity and capability
CHALLENGES
•Launch next wave of reforms – November, 2013
•Develop a vision and strategy for the civil service
•Innovative approaches to service delivery
•Greater efficiencies – procurement, property, sharedservices
•Change the relationship between the administrativeand political systems
•Develop management capability and capacity –programme / performance / personnel
•Enhance communications – internal and external
•Cultural shift
We are now planning to focus on the next wave of reforms
Questions /Discussion
