Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Independent) | Oireachtas source

Has the Minister investigated new, and perhaps simple, methodologies for assessing the performance of managers and leaders in the Civil Service? Is recruitment in respect of the private sector completely open?

The right-wing media, which is often hostile to civil servants and the public service in general, often has a field day running down our Civil Service. Who will now speak for the Civil Service? The Minister decided against appointing a head of the Civil Service but it appears that the Secretary General at the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Mr. Watt, will effectively become the spokesman for the entire 35,000 staff. Is that the case? I note that the management board will be chaired by the Secretary General at the Department of the Taoiseach. In the context of Irish Water and other public companies, it is striking in the public sector that communications people rather than the chief executive are sent out to explain. We have all been looking for the chief executive of Irish Water but I have not seen him since was manager of Dublin City Council. Who will speak for the Civil Service?

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