The Government would shortly be presented with proposals for the creation of a new forum for existing top management in civil administration called the Senior Public Service (SPS), Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin has said.
The Programme for Government stated that, as part of removing barriers to mobility, a new structure would be created for senior management whereby top officials could be rotated across the public sector.
“I will bring proposals to Government shortly on the governance arrangements and policy framework under which the Senior Public Service will operate,” Mr Howlin said.
He was addressing a “networking event” for top public servants, hosted by the Department of Justice, where the attendance included senior diplomats who are in Dublin for a conference of ambassadors and heads of mission at the Department of Foreign Affairs this week.
“The creation of a Senior Public Service is a commitment in the Programme for Government because we recognise that a key to public service reform is supporting leadership at senior levels. I am personally committed to making the Senior Public Service a reality,” the Minister said.
A similar management tier had been established in other countries to promote a “shared leadership culture” and joint problem-solving.
Other functions included clear identification of competencies required and a focus on current and future needs.
The SPS would also help in bridging gaps through “a structured programme of mobility and development”; it would assist career planning at an individual level, “succession planning” across the system and "performance management" at an individual and collective level.
Mr Howlin said both the Public Service Management Act and the Ministers and Secretaries Act would be replaced with “a reformulated code of laws that clearly delegate responsibilities in a real and meaningful way”.
He said: “There is an appetite across the system for a more structured approach to senior management – in how we fill vacancies; how we manage succession; and how we facilitate mobility at senior levels.”
