Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

This is an area on which we must continue to focus. When it comes to innovation, we have an annual award scheme for innovative projects across the Civil Service. I intend to continue to develop that scheme because it is important that we reward excellence and encourage and support innovation in all its forms. It is a very important scheme, which recognises achievement in the area of innovation. It can help to improve services for our citizens, which is ultimately what we are all about.

There is significant investment in the area of skills and talent development and providing educational opportunities for people working across the Civil Service. I am keen to see greater mobility in order that people working in one part of the Civil Service have an opportunity to move, deploy their skills elsewhere and enhance their experience. There is an existing mobility scheme but it is an area we can develop further.

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