The Public Service is of vital national interest. How well it performs and how efficiently it operates are of critical importance to the lives of every citizen and the well being of the community as a whole.
This website is designed to provide information on the Government’s ’Transforming Public Services’ Programme. The actions set out in this Programme amount to a radical overhaul of our Public Service. The Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen, T.D., is driving the implementation of this change programme as chair of the Cabinet Committee on Transforming Public Services. Speaking at the launch of this Programme, the Taoiseach stated that ‘I want a lean, motivated, high performing, responsive, and effective Public Service. I want to ensure that we use the enormous talent within the Public Service for the maximum benefit of citizens/taxpayers. I believe that this programme of change we are embarking on will achieve this.’
The ‘Transforming Public Services’ Programme is the term given to the Government Statement on Transforming Public Services, and the Report of the Task Force on the Public Service. The Task Force on the Public Service was appointed by the Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen, T.D., in May 2008 to develop an action plan in response to the OECD’s Review of the Irish Public Service, which contained recommendations aimed at giving momentum to further transformation of the Public Service, a new direction and a new sense of urgency.
The Public Service must now change faster so that the Government can respond effectively to current and emerging challenges, in the economy and in society, and internationally. Speaking in Dáil Éireann, 8 April 2009, on the Supplementary Budget, the Taoiseach, Mr. Brian Cowen, T.D., stated that ‘Reform can accelerate in periods of crisis, when issues that could previously be ignored have to be faced. We are in such a time. We are not in a position to continue to pay for the Public Service to operate in an unchanged manner with an unchanged division of labour across an unchanged labour force'.
Through this website, you can access the publications that make up the ‘Transforming Public Services’ Programme, and find out the latest news and updates on the transformation of the Public Service. We, the Programme Office, hope you find this website helpful. If you have any suggestions for improvements to this website, we would be delighted to hear from you - Contact us