THE NEW chairman of the body charged with implementing the Croke Park deal on public service reform said it was important to have “quick wins” in relation to the process.
In a letter to trade union leaders and top public service managers, PJ Fitzpatrick said the agreement presented a unique opportunity to transform and modernise the public service.
However, he said, delivering on its potential would “undoubtedly be very challenging for all parties to the agreement and for all public servants”.
“I am sure that you will agree that it is important also to deliver ‘quick wins’ that will both improve services to the public and deliver verifiable savings and that management begin to implement the changes identified under the agreement swiftly,” he said.
“Full engagement with the drive for change will be necessary if the potential of the agreement is delivered in line with the very challenging timeframe for the pay review in spring 2011.”
Mr Fitzpatrick said experience showed that transformational change was delivered more quickly and smoothly when staff were involved and where their representatives were engaged in the process at the earliest possible stage. Public service managers had been requested to finalise proposals on transformation in their own areas, he added.
“Savings generated from the implementation of the agreement and the agreements in each of the sectors will be used to commence the process of addressing the effect on pay of the Financial Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Acts of 2009. All parties have an incentive to deliver on the changes involved and by signing up to the agreement, all parties have committed to working together to implement this agreement to deliver an ongoing reduction in the cost of delivery of public services.”
In an accompanying guide to managing the process, the implementation body said the Croke Park deal would involve “substantial change for many public servants, including some redeploying to new roles, locations and even organisations and adopting new work practices and technologies”.