Parliamentary Question to the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

Reply from Minister Brendan Howling T.D.

Deputies will be aware that the Implementation Body is charged with driving the implementation of the Agreement across the public service. It is supported in its work by implementation groups established in each sector. Under the terms of the Agreement, sectoral managements submit Action Plans to the Body which set out the range of measures and reforms which are to be implemented. The Body monitors implementation of these measures and maintains contact with sectoral managements as part of this process.

 

The Body formally reports on its assessment of progress under the Agreement to the Government on an annual basis. The Body has conducted two annual reviews to date and has published two comprehensive Annual Reports outlining the progress made on delivering savings and reform under the Agreement.

 

The Implementation Body’s third annual review of the Public Service Agreement will get underway in the coming weeks and as with other reviews, it will assess the sustainable savings that have been facilitated under the framework of the Agreement in its third year (1st April 2012 to 31st December 2012). As before, it will also scrutinise the level of progress being made on implementing the reform measures set out in the Action Plans in each sector. I look forward to the outcome of that review which I expect will be published in March.

 

As Deputies are aware, discussions have commenced with public service trade unions on extending the Public Service Agreement and, it would not be appropriate to comment on possible future implementation arrangements whilst those discussions are ongoing.