Driving through focussed Change in Reforming the Public Administration Robert Watt, Secretary General Department of Public Expenditure and Reform ICPS 7 th Annual Public Sector Reform Symposium

Complex environment for change agenda Backdrop to reform Fiscal and economic crisis Expenditure consolidation Reduce headcount Increased demands for public services Rebuild public trust Maintain industrial peace Strong platform for change further strengthened by: New government formed in March 2011 Commitments under the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Assistance

Public Service Reform Plan Shared services External services delivery (outsourcing of non core work) Procurement reform Property consolidation eGovernment / ICT / Cloud strategies Rationalisation of state agencies Expenditure reforms Set of central and sectoral level reforms around the following since 2011…. New wave of reforms to be launched in January 2014 aimed at strengthening the focus on outcomes by driving efficiency, openness (including Government reform) and putting service users at the centre of public service planning and delivery Civil Service is uniquely placed to support and enable wider change given its central role – assisting the other sectors of the Public Service to achieve their objectives, progress reform and deliver Government priorities

What it is A Civil Service wide engagement initiative to work with those inside and outside the Civil Service to identify existing strengths to renew the vision and strategy for the future of the Civil Service – and to agree a set of practical actions that can start to make the vision a reality By focussing on the Civil Service sector in this way, it is hoped to set out a shared and cohesive reform plan for Government Departments and Offices Led by A Taskforce of senior managers from across the Civil Service Jointly sponsored by the Secretaries General of the D/Taoiseach and the D/PER (myself), and supported by visible leadership from all Secretaries General Strategic Oversight of Cabinet Committee on Public Service Reform Civil Service Renewal – a key strand of Reform Plan

Civil Service Renewal Process A new way to develop a civil service reform agenda…. Working through an open, collaborative process - engaging staff at all levels and inviting external input and challenge at key stages Engagement approach (circa 1,000 staff so far) - workshops; regional town hall meetings; online channels; senior management sessions; focus groups; project teams under the leadership of Taskforce members; trade unions; political system; other external interests incl. academic and business interests Ideas scheme open to all Emerging ideas for Q around…. High performance cultureOrganisational performance Cross-departmental workingInnovative capability Developing peopleEmpowering staff Communicating the role of the CSTalent management