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

In respect of local management, will the professional expertise of recruits be an outstanding aspect of how local managers will manage? I note that the report, Vision One, refers to the available talent pool, heads of profession and developing the ICT, legal, economics and statistical cadres within and across Departments. What flexibility will a local manager have in this respect? The Minister talks about open recruitment to fill all positions. Does this also apply to private secretaries to Ministers? Is every single position open to all recruits? I note that that there will be a new code of conduct for political appointees in Ministers' offices.

On performance assessment, has the Minister settled on a modern, international set of measurements which can be applied fairly across the Civil Service and will give us a high performing Civil Service? It must be said the Civil Service was usually ranked very high in the OECD rankings throughout the noughties and up until very recently. It was in the top five, or certainly the top ten.

See this speech in context