Written answers

Tuesday, 6 February 2007

Department of An Taoiseach

Consultancy Contracts

10:00 am

Photo of Catherine MurphyCatherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent)
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Question 199: To ask the Taoiseach if he has engaged consultants to review the quality of public services; if so, the terms of reference for their engagement; the expected cost of employing these consultants; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3382/07]

Photo of Bertie AhernBertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)
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While no consultants have been engaged, it is the case that the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) has been asked by the Government to develop a new comprehensive approach to public service review and to use this approach to assess the Irish Public Service. This approach will give us a holistic, system-wide assessment which includes a peer review element whereby senior officials and practitioners from other countries will be actively involved.

The terms of reference of the Review have been published and are available on my Department's website and on www.bettergov.ie. This review has two main objectives: (1) to benchmark the Public Service in Ireland against other comparable countries; and (2) to make recommendations as to future directions for Public Service reform. While the Review will not be a detailed audit of individual sectors such as health, education, local government etc., it will examine the effectiveness of arrangements through which government objectives are translated into outputs and outcomes. It will focus on the connections between the different sectors including the links between Departments/Offices and Local Government, Health and Education Sectors, with a particular focus on delivery of quality public services.

In order for the OECD to develop this systems level approach and to apply it in the first instance to the Irish Public Service, the Government is increasing our contribution to the OECD on a once-off basis by €490,000. I expect the Review to be completed by the end of this year.

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