SECRETARIES GENERAL of government departments with specific tasks and the power to sack public servants will be appointed under major public service reform legislation published later today.
The Public Service Management Bill is the most significant attempt to reform the public service since the Ministers and Secretaries Act of 1924. Details will be announced by the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, the Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn, and the Minister of State responsible for the Public Service, Ms Avril Doyle, in Dublin this afternoon.
Under the Bill the new title of Secretary General will replace that of Departmental Secretary at the head of each government department. The holders of these posts will, for the first time, have responsibility for achieving specific policy targets agreed with their Ministers.
Each government department will be required to publish a statement of strategy every three years on how it intends to achieve policy objectives.
Responsibility for appointments, performance, discipline and dismissal of public servants below Principal Officer level will be taken away from ministers and given to the Secretaries General. The Government will retain the power to dismiss more senior public servants.
Mr Bruton is also expected to announce plans to measure and manage the performance of individual public servants, which is allowed for under the Bill. Public service unions were unenthusiastic in the past about proposals to introduce a performance appraisal system.
Ministers will be given clear responsibility for policy, and to specify the results he or she wants to achieve, and ensuring that mechanisms are in place to allow these results to be obtained.
Secretaries General will be given responsibility for managing their departments to achieve policy objectives, to keep spending within the limits set by government and ensure value for money.
Responsibility far the delivery of the various public services is also expected to be given to the individuals or teams of civil servants. Departmental secretaries will be required to formally assign tasks to their staff.
In another measure the Bill proposes to regularise the appointments of special advisers to government ministers. These political appointments are currently ad hoc.
The Bill is the first legislative change being made under the Strategic Management Initiative, the examination of public service performance with a view to reform which is designed to make the public service more efficient.