Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)

The Cabinet sub-committee on public service reform, which is chaired by the Taoiseach and convened by me, held its first meeting on 13 July and is scheduled to meet again on 26 October. I remind Deputies that my Department was only formally established on 6 July this year. It is envisaged that the Cabinet sub-committee will meet regularly as the reform programme is implemented over the lifetime of the Government to ensure progress is being made on the reform agenda.

Cabinet sub-committees such as this are subject to the normal confidentiality that applies to Cabinet and, as such, I cannot discuss the contents of the agenda or what is discussed at the meetings. In light of these constitutional provisions, the well-established precedent in regard to questions on Cabinet sub-committees is to answer only matters of a factual nature. I can say, however, that implementation of the public service reform programme is a priority for the Government, as the creation of my Department clearly shows. Detailed implementation plans are being developed which encompass the commitments to reform in the programme for Government and priority areas from the existing Transforming Public Services programme. In the last two months my officials have been meeting with all Departments and major offices to identify their priorities and the challenges they foresee in bringing about the reform programme. This will assist us in deciding how best to deliver reform in a co-ordinated and integrated way.

See this speech in context