Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)

Someone spent a long time writing out that answer for the Taoiseach.

Before the recent general election, the Taoiseach proclaimed, more than once, that we had world class public services. In early May, he said, "I am not saying this tongue-in-cheek or in a light-hearted way, but I should really have people congratulating me on the health service". The Taoiseach went on to say that "people are immensely happy with the health service". He should tell that to some of those who are on waiting lists or suffering as a consequence of the cutbacks by the Health Service Executive. If our public services were world class in early May, why has it been necessary to call in the OECD to review them and bring about world class public services?

The benchmarking review group is due to report soon. Will the OECD look at benchmarking? I would be the first to say public servants deserve to be well paid for the job they do. The vast majority work exceptionally hard. Will the OECD do what the benchmarking group did not do, which is set out tangible targets and performance indicators so that the public will know what improvements are achieved following increases in pay? This issue was fudged on many occasions although, as Deputy Sargent pointed out many times from this side of the House, benchmarking has brought no tangible efficiency benefits and achieved no objective targets which the public can identify.

Has the OECD been given the remit of examining benchmarking? Following its report, will we be able to get what we did not get from the benchmarking process, despite frequent questioning in the House? Will tangible targets and objectives be set so the public can see where their tax is being spent and how public services are benefitting?

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