Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Public sector reform is a hugely important issue which has been referred to in every agreement this Government has been involved with, certainly since 1992. We have been seeking further progress, further productivity and more streamlined, efficient and effective ways of doing things. Public servants, under every agreement, have given something as part of the change process. There has been enormous and radical change in this regard. Recently, I presented awards to the public sector based on dozens of new projects and one can see the change that is happening.

Public sector reform remains an ongoing issue. Every Member of this House wants to see quicker turn-around times in getting replies, obtaining information and obtaining briefings. Every parliamentarian wants to see more effective use of resources and speedier replies from officials, Departments and agencies in their dealings with Members of this House. That is important because we are here as elected representatives of the public. We want the public service to be dealing with issues effectively.

Across all Departments and agencies, whether it is the Revenue Commissioners, the Departments of Health and Children or Education and Science, we are seeing fundamental reforms. Perhaps they are not happening quickly enough and I accept that. We would all like to see change happening more quickly but we have seen major changes under benchmarking and under Sustaining Progress and we must continue to see it. We must continue to identify more effective and efficient ways of public servants providing services to the public and Members of this House. They are the kinds of changes we seek and we pay substantial amounts of taxpayers' money so we see reforms happening on an ongoing basis.

The process of change and reform of the public service is never ending. The Government will continue to highlight the areas in which it wants to see change.

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