Alan Farrell (Dublin North, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform if he will outline, as per the current Croke Park agreement, the structures that have been put in place by the Implementation Body for Departments that are underperforming; the penalties in place for such Departments; if the implementation process of the Croke Park agreement will be revisited in the negotiation process for 2014 to enhance the incentive for changes to take place on a more individual Departmental basis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2835/13]

Billy Kelleher (Cork North Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform when the next report of the Implementation Body for the Croke Park agreement will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2811/13]

Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 14 and 24 together.

Deputies will be aware that the Implementation Body is charged with driving the implementation of the Agreement across the public service. It is supported in its work by implementation groups established in each sector. Under the terms of the Agreement, sectorial managements submit Action Plans to the Body which set out the range of measures and reforms which are to be implemented. The Body monitors implementation of these measures and maintains contact with sectorial managements as part of this process.

The Body formally reports on its assessment of progress under the Agreement to the Government on an annual basis. The Body has conducted two annual reviews to date and has published two comprehensive Annual Reports outlining the progress made on delivering savings and reform under the Agreement.

The Implementation Body’s third annual review of the Public Service Agreement will get underway in the coming weeks and as with other reviews, it will assess the sustainable savings that have been facilitated under the framework of the Agreement in its third year (1 April 2012 to 31 December 2012). As before, it will also scrutinise the level of progress being made on implementing the reform measures set out in the Action Plans in each sector. I look forward to the outcome of that review which I expect will be published in March.

As Deputies are aware, discussions have commenced with public service trade unions on extending the Public Service Agreement and, it would not be appropriate to comment on possible future implementation arrangements whilst those discussions are ongoing.