Thursday 17
th November 2011
Today’s launch of the Government’s public sector reforms is another key element of our budget strategy and a central pillar of our plan to get Ireland working again.
As I have said repeatedly, this Government has made a start, but there is much more to be done.
The budget for 2012 will be challenging and tough for all of our people. My message today is that we in government will not ask people to make further sacrifices without proving that we, ourselves, are changing.
Leadership has to start at the top, and at the centre. That’s why the first decisions of this Government included cutting the cost of the political system such as pay cuts for ministers, removing ministerial cars and Garda drivers, making the Dail more efficient, and a commitment to put the future of the Seanad to a referendum.
Today’s announcements will tackle waste and duplication in the system and identify the bodies that are no longer needed, or can no longer be afforded in the current economic situation.
We’re laying out our vision for the creation of new leaner, smarter and better public service, one that will be better equipped to promote job creation and deliver top quality public services.
It is also a key step towards delivering our promise to create a transformed public service during our term in office.
A leaner, smarter and better public service is one that is more flexible to the changing needs of citizens, and plays a central part of Ireland’s recovery story.
For too long, reform of Government was ignored and sidelined. Lack of political leadership at the top stood as a barrier to delivering an efficient public service that met all the needs of its citizens.
No longer will this be the case. The establishment of a new Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, with Minister Brendan Howlin, is a clear sign of intent from the new Government that reform will be a priority across the entire Government.
To make Government leaner we are going to reduce the total number of people employed in the public service back to more sustainable levels and make Government more cost efficient by merging agencies together or back into Government Departments.
Like everyone else in these financially difficult times we have to be smarter with our scarce resources. There is the reality of a significant funding shortfall for the State and it requires Government to share this burden but also take advantage of this time to introduce long overdue reforms. A better way of organising the public service is a key part of the public service reform plan being announced here today.
These reforms are essential if we are to keep costs to a minimum and avoid additional tax increases which would only serve to act as a disincentive to job creation and investment. To grow overall employment levels, we must first make government itself more efficient, more streamlined and less wasteful.
The Government has to demonstrate that it is not oblivious to the new economic reality that faces the country. Today we are drawing a line under the decentralisation programme – one of the most ill-judged and badly planned ideas of the last government - once and for all.
Projects where no progress has been made to date will be cancelled. Projects for which permanent accommodation has been provided and to which staffing assignments are substantially completed are to be left in situ, to be managed in the same way as other regionally based offices and Departments.
A review of projects where temporary accommodation has been provided or those with significant staffing shortfalls will be undertaken pending further Government decisions.
The reform plans outlined here today are still only the beginning of Government’s mission to transform the public service into a more efficient and responsive body to better serve the needs of the people. It will involve the co-operation and belief of everyone in the public services from Minister down.
In the coming months and years we will see radical changes across Government, from changing the way we provide healthcare to how we deliver services through local councils.
Our ambition is to do far more reform in 5 years than then previous Government achieved in the past 14.
If we work together and get this right there will be a better future for the public service and the country.
Ends