Minister of State for Public Service Reform Brian Hayes, as part of the Irish Presidency of the EU, delivered the Jean Monnet Lecture to the annual forum of the European Centre for Government Transformation in Brussels on 28 May 2013.
This event, organised by the Lisbon Council in conjunction with the College of Europe and Accenture, brought together senior representatives from National Administrations, the European Commission, and the Private Sector together with final year students of the College of Europe. Minister Hayes' address focused on the Public Service reform activities as part of the Government's strategic response to the economic crisis.
"Progress to date has been about repairing our balance sheet, putting our public finances back on a sustainable footing, and about restoring our reputation. Another element, more difficult to quantify, though of no less importance, is Ireland’s capacity to reform. This is something which has gone largely unrecognised. It is something we really need to communicate better at home.
That unprecedented levels of demand on our public services have been met by a much reduced Public Sector demonstrates our capacity and determination to ride out the 'perfect storm' conditions that arose from the collapse of our Banking sector and Public Finances."
Minister Hayes pointing to increases, since 2008, of more 565,000 more medical card holders; over 50,000 more students in our schools and almost 30,000 more third-level students; almost 80,000 more people in receipt of the State Pension and; nearly 200,000 more people receiving jobseekers payments each week. Over the same period Public Sector numbers have fallen by more than 33,000 today from a peak of 320,000 in 2008.
He also outlined the further reforms coming on-stream in the areas of shared services, procurement and property management reform, and eGovernment – key components of the Government's 18 month-old Public Service Reform Programme – as essential to maintaining the momentum to deliver better public services and value for money for the citizen.
"Agreement has been at the heart of what has been achieved to date, and I am hopeful that agreement on further necessary reforms continues to underpin this Government's mandate to lead Ireland back from the brink. Reform isn't something that has to be imposed because of the economic crisis, it is that which must succeed to ensure a sustainable economic recovery."
Information on the European Centre for Government Transformation and Minister Hayes' Jean Monnet lecture are available at
http://goo.gl/FzVJ8