John Paul Phelan (Fine Gael)

I thank the Minister of State and his officials. I share Senator Moylan's sentiments but I cannot agree that it was speedily done. The Bill's passage through this House might have been fast but an eight year delay in passing legislation is hardly desirable. However, the Bill is to be welcomed by and large although it does not go far enough in certain areas.

I said on Second Stage that the next opportunity which arises, be it in the form of a benchmarking II or some new form of benchmarking, should be grasped by the Minister to ensure a real reform agenda in the public service. There is a feeling among the general public, who are the consumers of public services, that they are not getting value for money. We missed opportunities before now and I hope that when we get another opportunity to deal with this matter, the Minister of State and officials will be able to ensure we have a truly progressive reform agenda for the public service. Despite what was said by some Senators on Second Stage about money not being the be-all and end-all, public servants should be and should expect to be suitably rewarded for excellent performance. This is the one missing factor. We need to incentivise people to perform well but we have not been doing so.

Senator McDowell made a very good point on his Second Stage contribution to the effect that it only takes one person who is not performing to the best of his ability to have an effect on or infect the others in the office. In view of this we need to ensure that those who are performing to the best of their ability are suitably rewarded, as they would be in the private sector. If we use the next phase of benchmarking to achieve this, we will improve the standard of public service and improve the environment in which people in the public service work. It would make the public service more attractive to people leaving education such that they would regard a public service job as a perfectly legitimate occupation.

I thank the Minister of State and his officials. Perhaps the Bill does not go far enough but it is welcome none the less.