Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

Everyone had to put forward a plan and the plan I submitted relating to my Department covered four broad areas on which management and staff collaborated. Those areas were human resource management, financial management, quality customer service and technological innovation. More competitive promotion processes were introduced while the performance management and development system, PMDS, relating to the management of performance in the civil service was implemented. There was a central timeframe. The process related to training and to implementing the guidelines set down by the Department of Finance regarding performance management and lowering staff levels in the Department by 2% through individuals taking on new roles and functions and integrating sections.

The Department introduced a new financial management system, the Oracle programme, designed to give more information and control. It deals with costs and inputs and allows for more transparency such as allocating cost heads to individuals. People in the Department are now able to identify where money is going, not only to sections but to individuals. This programme has been fully implemented in the Department and allows for much better monthly reporting than previously. It fits in with the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General and so on. The method of reporting achieved is far better as it is meaningful for individual sections in that they can see areas for which they are responsible. It has improved efficiency and service.

A customer charter was developed, as was the case in other Departments. Annual customer surveys are now conducted to measure the Department's performance against commitments made in the charter. Those who use the Department are given a questionnaire seeking opinions on service and everything from time calls to memorandums.

The e-Cabinet project is an innovative system, electronically supported, and enabling the administrative process associated with the preparation for and conduct of Government business. The Department has won awards for this system. It was mainly implemented by civil servants with some outside expertise.

These are some of the advances made in the Department which were put forward to the verification group and are now fully implemented.

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