Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

I move: "That the Bill be now read a Second Time."

The Bill before us is the first step towards creation of a revitalised and customer-focused public service and towards placing a stronger focus on how we manage our public expenditure to get the best possible impact from available resources.

Turning first to the reform agenda, we will build a more efficient public service which will be manifestly fit for purpose and which will deliver the essential services we all need in the most integrated, transparent and accountable manner possible. This is my vision for the reformed public service, a vision built upon the traditional public service values of integrity, impartiality, diligence and commitment. We will focus on what is needed to help rebuild public confidence in the institutions of the State and make a positive contribution to economic recovery.

The process towards achieving this vision has already begun. As Deputies will be aware, a highly significant programme of public service reform has been initiated by the new Government. We spoke about some of this during the debate on Private Members' business yesterday evening. This process will take place alongside an ambitious programme of constitutional and political institutional reform. There will be a fundamental change in democratic and public governance; and a dramatic change in the cost efficiency and methods of delivery of public services. It is clear that notwithstanding developments to date, the cost of delivering public services must be reduced further, with fewer staff and tighter budgets, and that the public service must become better integrated and more customer focused, as well as being leaner and more efficient.

Before I proceed to outline the details of individual provisions of the Bill, it is important to restate the objectives of the public service reform process on which we have already embarked, and to provide an update on the steps taken to date or that are under way towards making the vision a reality.

The Government is committed to the fundamental review, reform and overhaul of all aspects of Government and administration in Ireland. The establishment of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform reinforces the political and economic importance attached to delivering on the broad reform agenda, and the role which the Government believes a streamlined and highly performing public service can play in our national recovery. Work is already under way to give effect to the reform commitments the Government has made to the people and the Bill marks the final part of the beginning of a challenging journey to achieve the vision we have set ourselves and which the people fully deserve.

The programme for Government also envisages a renewed focus on a range of related reform issues, including legislative changes to facilitate more open, transparent and better government, an increased focus on organisational and individual performance improvement, giving citizens greater choice and input into service delivery, and a more empowered, skilled and customer-focused public service to deliver on all of these changes.

We need to build upon the undoubted commitment and ability of public servants at all levels to foster a culture of high-performance, flexibility, openness and accountability. The importance of rebuilding public confidence in the institutions of the State cannot be over-estimated. We must make better use of our resources, and draw more efficiently on the potential that exists to improve sharing of public information. We are determined to maximise the dividend from ICT, in terms of reducing the labour intensity of service delivery, by promoting the wide-scale adoption of shared services in human resources, payroll, pension, financial management, payment services and so on; business process improvement; and increased online delivery of services and payments.

Leadership will also be essential, and the newly established senior public service will play a key role in developing our cadre of public service leaders. Yesterday, I had the privilege of speaking to the first forum of the senior public service because I took the opportunity of the recall of all of our ambassadors so we had the widest possible cross-section of senior officials in public administration in the country. This will involve empowering and equipping public servants and releasing their potential to become more flexible and more proactive in changing what they do and how they do it. I am very open to ideas coming from people on the ground who can see around them the changes that are needed and who are now beginning to feel they have the flexibility to speak out. I want to devolve authority to people to make decisions and be accountable, and give the freedom to people to disagree with politicians and political leaders so there will be proper debate and scrutiny of public decision making.

Delivering such a programme of reform in the coming years will not be easy. However, the passing of the Bill will represent a highly significant important step in this process. It will provide the critical impetus for reform that is needed and will facilitate an integrated, focused and co-ordinated approach, and it is highly significant that the Bill places public service reform functions on a statutory basis for the first time. This is extraordinary but it is a fact.

As well as having a defined role in public expenditure issues, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform will be in a position to place the issue of reform at the centre of government.

See this speech in context