Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 152: To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Health and Children the assignments of responsibility which have been made under section 9 of the Public Service Management Act 1997 for the performance of her functions by officers of her Department, indicating in respect of each function or class of function whether the assignment has been to named officers or to a grade or grades of officer and whether any of the requirements listed in section 9(1)([i]a[/i]) to ([i]f[/i]) of the Act have been included in the assignment; if information relating to such assignments of responsibility is published by her Department; if she has satisfied herself with the workings of section 9 within her Department. [8140/05]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Progressive Democrats)
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The assignment of functions under the Public Service Management Act 1997 was first made by the then Secretary General of the Department of 1 January 1999, covering all individuals at assistant secretary grade. While the frameworks to date have contained assignment in respect of named individuals, they also include a generic statement of responsibilities for the assistant secretary grade, as well as for the overall management of divisions. All frameworks to date are available internally.

The assignment of functions under the Public Service Management Act 1997 forms part of a deep and extensive management structure which supports the discharge of the business of the Department. These structures include: the performance management and development system, including an individual role profile and twice yearly review for all officers; preparation of a three year statement of strategy and annual business plans for the Department; formal monitoring by the management advisory committee of the implementation of business plans; target setting and annual review for each assistant secretary; network of principal officers and equivalents and assistant principal officers and equivalents whose function is to contribute to the development of policy in key areas.

I am satisfied with the way the framework of assignments has been operating in my Department.