Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

In terms of what has been happening in the whole modernisation process in the public service, surveys are being done now and people involved in that modernisation process are giving their views. Staff are involved in the change of structures, work practices and the preparation of the various documents across Departments. In my Department I am aware there is satisfaction and an engagement with this process. It is far better than it was some years ago. Looking at the strategic management initiative from the outside and all the issues that came out of that, it is working in the Civil Service and people are engaging in the job they are doing and preparing the action plans. In terms of benchmarking the merit award system, which has been examined, seems to be very difficult to operate. My Department is just one part of a workforce of 30,000 people. Even though it has been used in small amounts the merit system is not a system that works well. Benchmarking is far better than the old analogue system. In the old system if one person received an award eventually all others would receive the same award, whereas in benchmarking one examines individual grades. Under the performance verification groups it does not follow that all grades will get the same increase.

In the case of people working in intensive care the Deputy will be aware that there are allowances for people with nurse's duties, allowances for experience and allowances for additional courses and qualifications. If these do not apply benchmarking can identify this grade as one with more responsibilities and with work that involves matters of life and death, and payments can be made on that basis. The last time around the difficulty with benchmarking was that in similar institutions some people received an increase of 15% or 16% and others received nothing. We are going to see more of that and I think it is good. The case has to be made for grade and area responsibility.

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