Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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28. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which he plans to incorporate further reforms throughout the civil and public service with a view to achieving better value for money, improved economic impact and delivery of services to the public; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [29088/18]

Paschal Donohoe (Dublin Central, Fine Gael)
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I am pleased to inform the Deputy that a new phase of public service reform is already underway, as set out in the framework document Our Public Service 2020, which I launched last December. Let me assure him that public service reform remains an integral part of the Government’s economic strategy in order to enable us to continue to improve outcomes for the public.

In the case of the Civil Service, the Deputy will also be aware of the ambitious programme of reform under the Civil Service Renewal Plan aimed at creating a more unified, professional, responsive, open and accountable Civil Service providing a world-class service to the State and to the people of Ireland. Significant progress has been made in implementing the actions under that three-year Plan and work is now underway on developing a refreshed Plan for the next phase of Civil Service Renewal to 2020 which will align with Our Public Service 2020.

Our Public Service 2020 seeks better outcomes for the public, to support innovation and collaboration and to build public service organisations that are resilient and agile. It contains strong links between expenditure and reform in order to achieve the desirable outcomes set out in the Deputy’s question. The aim is to ensure that real reform is delivered and that there is a continued emphasis on ensuring value-for-money principles are adhered to across the public service. Ensuring value for the taxpayer is an important element of managing the costs of public services and maintaining stable public finances.

I am confident that the implementation of the actions contained in Our Public Service 2020 will have an ongoing positive impact on economic performance and improved service delivery to the public in the future.