Michael Creed (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 164: To ask the Taoiseach if he will provide a list of agencies and stakeholders under the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which were issued with questionnaires as part of the organisational review programme; the number of these agencies which responded to the questionnaires; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [47749/08]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 167: To ask the Taoiseach the reason his Department did not receive a 100% response rate to a questionnaire given to chief executive officers of agencies under the three Government Departments covered in the pilot phase of the organisational review programme; if he is satisfied that agencies are giving their full co-operation to the public service reform agenda and to his Department; if he will be writing to the heads of all agencies to ensure engagement with his Department over public service reform; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48023/08]

Fergus O'Dowd (Louth, Fine Gael)
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Question 168: To ask the Taoiseach the details of agencies who failed to respond to his Department's recent questionnaire, issued as part of the organisational review programme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48024/08]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 164, 167 and 168 together.

Three Departments were reviewed in the pilot phase of the Organisational Review Programme (ORP): Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; Enterprise, Trade and Employment; and Transport. In conducting the reviews, three forms of questionnaire were deployed and one-to-one interviews and workshops were conducted involving the staff, agencies and bodies and selected stakeholders of the three Departments. In all, just over 6,000 questionnaires were issued and around 170 meetings were held.

Regarding the agencies and bodies under the aegis of the three Departments, 87 questionnaires were issued and 53 responses were received. These responses were augmented by valuable insights obtained in the course of one-to-one interviews with 25 Chief Executive Officers of such agencies and bodies. A high level of engagement and candour was displayed by all those who took part in the process and I am most satisfied with the levels of cooperation. The questionnaires, whereby response was voluntary, were administered on behalf of the ORP Team with a guarantee of confidentiality by an independent market research company, Hudson Talent Management. The Team therefore does not hold details of those who did not respond.

Concerning the identity of those agencies and selected stakeholders of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to whom questionnaires were issued, the position is set out in the table.

Regarding the agencies of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, I understand that 5 out of 6 responded to the questionnaire and 3 meetings were held. It should be noted that at the time of the issue of the questionnaires, the fisheries function had only recently been transferred to the Department. As therefore their experience of working with their new Department was very limited, questionnaires were not issued to the agencies in the fisheries sector.

In the case of selected stakeholders, questionnaires were issued to 6 organisations that are predominantly stakeholders of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and these were supplemented by 13 meetings with stakeholders of the Department, including 'cross cutting' Departments and other bodies, and 9 meetings at EU level, including some dealing exclusively with agriculture issues.

Regarding the commitment of agencies to public service reform, my Department has asked the Secretaries General of all Government Departments to ensure that the Government Statement on Transforming Public Services and the recommendations of the Task Force on the Public Service are widely disseminated within each Department and Office, the bodies and agencies under their aegis and across the wider public service. I am satisfied that the public service, including its agencies, will cooperate with the implementation of the transformation agenda.

The overall programme of public service renewal and modernisation is being driven by the Cabinet Committee on Transforming Public Services. I am the chair of the Cabinet Committee and its membership includes the Ministers for Finance; Education and Science; Environment, Heritage and Local Government; Health and Children; and Justice, Equality and Law Reform. In addition, a Programme Office is being established in my Department to support Departments and agencies in their change efforts and to support the Government in driving, co-ordinating and monitoring progress in implementation. This work will involve ongoing intensive contact with Ministers, their Departments and agencies and with the entire public service and I believe that all public bodies, including agencies, will engage fully with this process.