Mary Lou McDonald (Dublin Central, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I ask that that matter be kept under review. It might well emerge that the Minister is, in fact, correct in that assessment, and if it works, it is fair enough and all is well. However, Deputy Howlin hears my concern. The beauty of having a head of Civil Service is that accountability does not get lost in the collective. I ask that we do not entirely jettison that idea as, perhaps, one for the future.

I note the proposals also contain what is termed "an end-to-end review of the disciplinary code". I am curious that we tease that out. I note it makes recommendations in terms of recruitment to more senior managerial posts within the service. That needs to be considered. I am not a believer in privatising, or importing entirely a private sector ethic into the public sector as a way of reforming it. That is wrong-headed.

Finally, this report does not deal with the issues of reward and pay within the service, but the Minister will appreciate that manners of rewarding staff are inextricably linked in with the culture of any organisation and the morale of those who serve. We need a commission on pay within the civil and public service. It needs to right the wrong where we currently have at the upper ends excessive levels of pay and at the lower levels paltry wages and rewards for staff, but that may be an issue for another day.

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