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Public Expenditure Minister Brendan Howlin and Minister of State Brian Hayes have jointly opened PeoplePoint, the new Human Resources and Pensions Shared Service Centre for the Civil Service. At the launch both Ministers spoke of the importance of this project in demonstrating the Government’s commitment to implementing the reforms set out in the Programme for Government.

MerrionStreet.ie spoke to the Ministers at the launch. Watch the video below...

Minister Howlin said

...the opening of Peoplepoint was a significant achievement for the civil service. PeoplePoint is delivering on our vision for change with a strong focus on customer service, working in new ways, driving efficiencies in our HR processes and utilising enabling technologies. This centre is the first of a number of Shared Services projects underway in the civil service. It provides a real opportunity for us to drive workforce reforms that will support the civil service into the future.

Minister Hayes said:

Shared Services represent a new way of doing things and are, I believe, symbolic of a new approach to public administration in this country. PeoplePoint is the first significant project to change internal service delivery in the Civil Service. It is a concrete example of what can be achieved when Departments and Offices work together to enable significant change in the way we do our business and is an example of how shared services could work right across the Public Service.

The Peoplepoint centre when fully operational will provide HR and Pensions transactional services to 40 Departments, Offices and Agencies. Six Departments have transitioned across and the next Tranche of Departments/Offices are due to transition at the end of August 2013. It is envisaged that all Departments/Offices will be transitioned (through three subsequent tranches) to PeoplePoint by the end of 2014. Once the remaining Departments and bodies have transitioned and PeoplePoint becomes fully operational, savings estimated at €12.5 million annually will be achieved, with a reduction of 17% in staff numbers in HR.

Some 120 staff have transferred to the PeoplePoint office in Clonskeagh from other Government Departments/public bodies to staff the operation and it is envisaged there will be over 300 staff in place when PeoplePoint is fully operational.

Read the full press release here.