Reforming the Public Servic: More on Govt Prog

Slí Eile: Continuing on the Renewed Programme of Government - the Section on Reform of public services (p33) contains some good (and long overdue proposals for change). However, as with the follow-up to the OECD Review published in 2008 on Irish public service reform, change is happening at snail’s pace and it very much ‘top down’ rather than led from the ranks. The collapse in Partnership adds to the difficulty of any real consensus-based reform for the foreseeable future.
Paradoxically, the imposition of ‘control and command’ more than ever in regard to every single post subject to the public service moratorium allied to micro-management form the centre of relatively small grant payment runs counter to the spirit of the OECD report which advocated more delegation of responsibility and authority to decide on resource allocation allied to ‘working within budgets’ and being called to account for outcomes and delivery rather than micro-management of input and process. The system does not seem to learn or apply the lessons of past failed initiatives from the 1960s Devlin Report onwards.
You may be interested to note that, forty years ago, on 20th November 1969 in a Dáil debate on the Devlin report for public service reform

David Thornley, TD stated:
The Minister enjoys a justifiable reputation for the firm way he controls the Civil Service. I wonder could he elaborate on the well-known Civil Service phrase “in due course?” It seems to us on this side of the House that no matter what questions we ask about the Buchanan Report, the Devlin Report, the Todd Report and one hundred and one other reports the phrase “in due course”, whatever that means, seems to hang over the point which we are to have explained to us when major social decisions are to be taken by the Government in the light of these reports. As a student of the Civil Service, I have often wondered what the phrase “in due course” means in specific terms.

The then Minister for Finance (with responsibility for public and civil service reform), a certain Charles J. Haughey replied to Dr Thornley in the following terms:
It is a phrase that is used when you cannot use anything more specific.

Lets say that things take time ….

Sports, Arts, Tourism, Irish language
On reading this short section (p37-38) you would never think that Bord Snip had proposed vaporising this area as a Department (along with that other national non-priority in the view of Bord Snip – Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. The sentence about working with the ‘arts, sports, cultural and tourism sectors in the development of initiatives and opportunities for Ireland to capitalise on the proximity of the London 2012 Olympic Games’ (p38) is heavy on verbs and light on specifics. Still it is a good idea and worth following up as part of an imaginative investment strategy to get people back to work and avail of market opportunities in the run up to 2012.

The Renewed Programme for Government is long on aspirations and scant on exactly how and when various commitments will be delivered. A worthy example of this is the following:
As promised in our “Smarter Travel” policy, following the completion of the rapid transport studies in Cork, Galway, Waterford & Limerick cities, we will, starting in 2010 provide a high quality integrated, accessible public transport service to within 800 metres of every home.
Sounds good. I’m all for that. It is worth noting that massive capital investment has gone into roads, the port tunnel, M50 etc – all of little benefit to the environment and effectively taking scarce resources away from investment in a proper rail and bus service. Again and again, short-term thinking and blinkered cost-benefit analysis on railways in the 1950-1970 period exacted a huge long-term and environmental cost.

We will end long-term homelessness by the end of 2010 through the implementation of “The Way Home”, Ireland’s strategy on adult homelessness 2008-2013.
But, exactly how?, where? How much cost? Which agencies?

Education
The commitment to additional teachers in primary and secondary schools is vague (is it additional to the existing numbers?). One way or another the pupil-teacher ratio will increase since even a modest increases in teacher numbers will not be sufficient to absorb demographic pressures.
All in all, like its predecessor the Agreed Programme of Government in 2007, the Renewed Programme for Government is a two-pony carrier – one pony with lots of green imprints with vague timelines and costs and – in this case – a number of high-profile ‘concessions’ (fees at third level, teacher numbers and reform of donations); the other pony with a very nasty fiscal agenda indeed. We haven’t seen anything yet.

The commitment to ratifying the Antarctic Treaty, along with other nations, is indeed commendable. It would also be welcome if Government implemented and enacted legislation giving workers collective bargaining rights. Not a word about worker rights in the Programme. Strange. What about the Charter for Fundamental Rights (Lisbon Treaty)?

New Year Resolutions?

Slí Eile: Remember the Renewed Programme for Government (early October)? In the meantime we have had Budget 2010. Following earlier blogs on the Renewed Programme for Government further observations are in order:

'Subject to European Stimulus Funding, we will make broadband available to every house in the country by 2012.'
What’s this? Did I read the dreaded S word here?
Banking Reform (p13 in ms Word version) contains some welcome, but not new, proposals for putting a new code of corporate governance on a legislative footing and extending this to all publicly quoted companies and state-sponsored bodies. Pending legislation, ‘all credit institutions participating in NAMA or availing of a Government Guarantee will be expected to comply fully with the key principles of the ‘Combined Code’ (p14). We look forward to seeing the timely and practical application of all this including early legislation. The issue of personal indebtedness and family home protection features (p15). This has been a relatively neglected area and one where an alarming landmine awaits. The extent to which Governments, in the future, will provide for protection here will be vital to the project of economy recovery with fairness.

A More Caring and Just Society (p16) fails to convince or excite. It is long on aspiration and pious sentiment, short on timescales, costings and hard choices. ‘A universal health service’ is nowhere near completion if Government continues to pursue the two-tier system as it is relying on a mix of private tax breaks, private insurance and seriously under-provided services to children and families in need. Continuing failure to provide for carers, to implement the strategy on mental health – to take two examples – speaks volumes about a society that can find the money to recapitalise a largely unaccountable banking system but not for social projects.

‘We will develop and put in place a regulatory framework for the provision of after-school services.’ (p20)
Why not just inject €2bn to provide for a full-day, full-year provision for all children aged 3?
Justice and Crime

Two standalone shockers:
‘We will develop a White Paper on Crime’ (is that after the Green Paper and before the Implementation Group Report?)
‘We will progress our new Prison Building Programme’ (smells like a fiscal stimulus package?)
There is a welcome commitment to creating an official House Price Index based on property sale price data to be placed in the public domain (p29)
Education
See previous blog on ‘fee fees’

Democracy and public services
There are worthwhile ideas and commitments in this section and these have received relatively little media attention since the Programme was agreed. The idea of an electoral commission is not new. Neither is reform of the Seanad. When it comes to political institutional reform there is a clear historical track record of inaction and delay – which points to the difficulty of reforming anything in which there is a widespread political party comfort with the status quo. On local government reform the only thing on offer if a White Paper followed by ‘consultation’. In other words no change for a long time and certainly not in the remaining life of this Government
The mention of legislation to create a more open and transparent system of appointments to public bodies is welcome. There is an urgent need for an independent system of public appointments to the non-executive boards of public bodies.

In all, the Programme commits to three White Papers (on crime, local government reform and defence). More next time - public sector reform.