David Cullinane (Waterford, Sinn Fein)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

723. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the purpose and design of the centralised payroll shared services system; if he will provide the Departments that have already been transferred to the centralised payroll shared services system; the Departments that are due to be transferred to the centralised payroll shared services system; the timeframe for the transfer of each Department to the centralised payroll shared services system; the information that will be held by the centralised payroll shared services system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41460/16]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Purpose and design of the Payroll Shared Services Centre

The Public Service Reform Plan (November 2011) identified the implementation of shared services as a major element in the Reform Programme. Shared services consolidate administrative functions in areas such as Finance, IT, Payroll and Human Resources which allow organisations and Governments focus their resources on core activities which in turn lead to administrative efficiency and reduced cost.

Prior to the establishment of the Payroll Shared Services Centre in December 2013, payroll, pension and travel and subsistence payments for Government Departments and their clients (approx. 120,000 payees) was being administered by 18 different Payroll Centres. 

To meet the strategic objectives of achieving sustainable cost efficiencies and maximising the service benefits, a Government Decision in 2013 approved the consolidation and development of an integrated Payroll Shared Service across the Civil Service, on the basis of an appropriate payroll operating model with standardised end-to-end processes on a common technology platform. There is a single governance structure, single licence agreements with technology providers, and improved and standardised processes and service level agreements with client Departments.

Departments already transferred to the PSSC

Government Departments that have migrated to date are:

Departments of An Taoiseach;

Department of Finance;

Department of Public Expenditure and Reform;

Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government;

Department of Defence (pensions);

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade;

Department of Justice and Equality;

Department of Education and Skills;

Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine;

Department of Health;

Department of Children and Youth Affairs;

Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment;

Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport;

Department of Arts; Heritage; Regional, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs;

Other Public Service Bodies who have transferred to the PSSC are:

An Garda Síochána, the Irish Prison Service, the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, the Office of the Attorney General, the Central Statistics Office, the President's Establishment; Child Detention Schools; Health Information and Quality Authority; National Council for Curriculum and Assessment; National Disability Authority; Civil Service Redress Board; Law Reform Commission; State Examinations Commission; Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission; Courts Service; Chief State Solicitor's Office; Office of the Ombudsman; Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions; Office of the C & AG; National Museum; National Library; Property Registration Authority; Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission; National Council for Special Education; Public Appointments Service; and State Laboratory.

Departments due to be transferred to the PSSC

The Government Departments that have still to be transferred to the Payroll Shared Services Centre are:

- Department of Social Protection

- Department of Defence (Military payrolls)

- Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation 

Other Public Service Bodies who have still to be transferred are the Office of Public Works, the Houses of the Oireachtas and the Valuation Office.

Numbers and timeframe for transfer

As at January 2017, the number of payees the PSSC services is just over 102,000 and the end-state number of customers will be approx. 128,000 Civil and Public Servants and retirees. The transfer of client Departments and Public Service Bodies to the PSSC began in December 2013 and has been conducted in waves at a time. The final waves are due for completion by the end of November 2017.

Information held by the PSSC

The information held by the centralised payroll system comprises;

- Individual payee data;

- Data that is required to produce payments and for reporting and interface purposes, such as Paygroup and Travel & Subsistence group information, Pension Schemes and Pay Codes; and

- Payment history details.