This presentation by Dr Orlaigh Quinn of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Ireland, was made at the joint meeting of the Senior Budget Official Performance and Results Network and the Public Employment and Management Expert meeting on 26 November 2015. For further information, please see http://www.oecd.org/gov/pem/.

1. Improving Performance and Accountability
Measures in the Irish Civil Service
Thursday, 27 November, 2015
OECD Meeting of the Senior Budget Official Performance and Results
Network
Dr Orlaigh Quinn
Programme Director, Reform and Delivery Office
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, Ireland
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2.  Public Service Reform Context
 Civil Service Renewal
 Strategic Planning Framework
 Performance management and accountability in
the Senior Civil Service
 Other Relevant Measures
 Reflections and Lessons learned
Presentation Overview
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3. Background Context
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4. Rationale for reform to-date
Rationale for Reform
Consolidating
Expenditure
Rebuilding public trust
Delivering Industrial
peace
Increased demand for
services
Meeting Public
Expectations
Reduced Staff numbers
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5. Ongoing Fiscal Constraints
 High level of Debt
 Fiscal Challenge
 Demographic Pressures
 Expenditure Pressures across
Government Departments
 Revenue buoyancy cannot be used to
increase expenditure
 Population up 502,000 since 2005
(Increase of approx. 12%)
 Life expectancy up by 3 years (male) and
2.5 years (female) since 2003
 Highest birth rate in the EU
 Highest percentage of Under 15s in EU
 Increased number of Over 65s
 10% more primary school pupils since
2008
 23% more beneficiaries of weekly social
protection payments since 2008
 31% more medical cards than in 2008
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6. Public Service Reform in Ireland – Broad
Approach
 First Public Service Reform Plan 2011-2013
• Focus on reducing costs, eliminating
duplication and increased efficiency
 Second Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016
• Focus on improved service delivery and
better outcomes for citizens, alongside
ongoing efficiency measures
 Civil Service Renewal Plan published in October
2014
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7. Public Service Reform in Ireland – Key
objective to deliver improved outcomes
Outcomes for Citizens
 More streamlined and integrated
services
 Commissioning models for better
service delivery
 Improved access to information
Outcomes for Businesses
 Greater use of digital channels
 Reduced administrative burden
 Making Ireland a good place in which
to do business
Outcomes for Public Servants
 Greater use of technology
 Develop capacity, capability and
leadership
 Increased mobility and development
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8. Overall Public Service Reform Framework
Better Outcomes
A Focus on Service Users A Focus on Efficiency
A Focus on Openness
and Accountability
A Focus on Leadership,
Renewal and Delivery
Local Government Justice SectorCivil ServiceEducation SectorHealth Sector
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9. Civil Service Renewal Plan
 Vision: To provide a world-class service to the State and
to the people of Ireland
 Three Year Action Plan
 4 Pillars
 Unified
 Professional
 Responsive
 Open and Accountable
 First Progress Report July
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10. Strengthen strategic budget
and business planning
processes
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11. Current Strategic Planning Framework
 Strategy Statements setting out multi-year strategic goals/objectives taking
into account Government priorities
 Proactive management within Departments on the basis of Departmental
Business Plans and Performance Management
 Monitoring and publication of results through the Performance
Management and Development System (PMDS) and Annual Reports of
Departments
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12. Budget Planning
Strategic Reforms to Budgetary Architecture:
 Implementation of medium-term budgetary framework
 Comprehensive Reviews of Expenditure
 Public Spending Code – provides that appraisals and detailed assessments
should be carried out before Exchequer funds are committed
 3 year Value for Money review programme for each Department
 Role of Oireachtas Committees in overseeing expenditure of State resources
 IGEES – Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service – enhancing
capability to ensure focus remains on value for money
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13. Action 4: Strengthen strategic planning and
business planning processes
 Aligning the Statement of Strategy planning cycle with the Programme for
Government
 CSMB to review and challenge each Statement of Strategy prior to
finalisation
 Single Statement of Strategy for the Civil Service
 Annual meetings between Secretaries General and Oireachtas Committees
 Strategic horizon scans to identify long-term risks, challenges and
opportunities
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14. Design and implement a
robust performance review
process for Secretaries
General and Assistant
Secretaries
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15. Past experiences of managing
performance
 Culture more important than process
 Difficulty of measuring an individual’s contribution to outcomes
 Performance rating scales not necessarily useful
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16. New performance management system for
senior leaders
 Simple and flexible process
 Four categories of objectives
 Policy
 Management
 Leadership within Department
 Collaboration / Leadership across the Civil Service
 Removal of 5 point rating system
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17. Aligning organisational objectives with
individual objectives
 Ensuring leaders make the right links
 Work with Minister to prioritise objectives
 Identify areas where the leader will be personally
involved
 Objectives should cascade through the grade hierarchy
 Employees understand how their work links to org
objectives
 Openness and transparency
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18. Accountability within performance
management process
 Formal accountability
 Secretary General level – Minister and
Accountability Board
 Assistant Secretary level – Secretary General
 Informal accountability
 Peer accountability through 360 feedback process
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19. Other Relevant Openness and
Transparency Measures
 Open Government Partnership
 Regulation of Lobbying
 FOI legislation
 Whistleblowers legislation
 Ethics framework
 New procedures for appointments to State Boards
 Common Governance Standard
 Performance Budgeting Initiative
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20. In conclusion, some personal
reflections on lessons learned ……. so
far
 Work hard on delivery; not just policy and
plans
 Effective committed leadership - political
and senior management
 Strong governance, programme and project
management
 Focus on communication
 Need to build capacity
 Good data and business cases
 Integrate cross-cutting and organisational
reform
 ………. and persistence and resilience!
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21. www.reformplan.per.gov.ie
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