Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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256. To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the degree to which reforms throughout the public sector remain in place to ensure accountability, collective responsibility and good value for money; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [56146/21]

Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for the question.

Continuous reform of our public services has been an integral part of this Department's function since its establishment in 2011. In view of the significant and pervasive impacts experienced as a consequence of the Covid19 crisis, the Government's programme of reform and modernisation is particularly relevant as we seek to return our economy and society to full recovery.

In accordance with the Department's Statement of Strategy, officials are currently preparing the next phase of public service reform (to succeed Our Public Service 2020) which will incorporate priorities that were articulated in the recently published Public Service Innovation Strategy, Making Innovation Real in addition to ambitions set out in the programme of renewal for the Civil Service (CSR 2030),as they relate to the wider Public Service. Additionally, the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer in my Department is currently finalising a new Public Service Digital Strategy and the Department and it is likely that these priorities would feature in our future reform plans as well.

In terms of collective responsibility and accountability for the implementation of reform in the Public Service, this Department established and currently chairs the Public Service Management Group and Public Service Leadership Board, drawn from senior management across the Public Service, to ensure coherence of the reform efforts across the wider Public Service.

As regards the drive for more value for money all public organisations are required to treat public funds with care, and to ensure that the best possible value for money is obtained whenever public money is being spent or invested. This is in accordance with the Public Spending Code. Moreover, Action 5 of Our Public Service 2020 (Action 5) emphasises the need to ensure value-for-money principles are adhered to across the Public Service.

As part of this broader approach to ensuring value for money, the introduction of shared services and centralised procurement in earlier phases of reform have been further integrated in public service operations and expanded into new areas. These expansions will continue apace and this Department is actively exploring new areas and mechanisms to further embed reforms that will enhance the cost-effectiveness of public services; for example, through greater use of opportunities presented through digitalisation, intelligent automation, innovation and the implementation of new ways of working and service design.

The Deputy may also wish to note that by agreeing to the Public Service Pay Agreement ‘Building Momentum’, parties have committed to the ongoing reform and development of public services to meet the changing needs of citizens, communities, businesses and the staff who deliver our public services.

Parties have agreed to maintain the momentum for reform and to continue co-operation with regard to flexibility and change to support effective responses to the challenges posed by COVID-19, recognising the need to look beyond traditional ways of working, where necessary and appropriate, and to manage change to ensure high quality public services, high performance, the maintenance and development of staff skills and competencies, and the delivery of measurable outcomes for the public.