Events
LAUNCH OF CEO GUIDE / OPEN SESSION WITH PAUL REID FROM DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC EXPENDITURE AND REFORM
Date: 11/12/2013
11th December 2013 saw the culmination of a number of years of work by a dedicated project team when Minister Brian Hayes officially launched the ACESA CEO Guide. Though unable to attend himself, Minister Brendan Howlin provided a preface endorsing the Guide. All were happy that this guide, the result of a great deal of time and effort, was afforded such a profile.
On behalf of ACESA, Martin O’Halloran thanked all the members who contributed their ideas and advice, and especially those who provided materials and quotes through the Reader Panel. In particular he offered his appreciation to Pat Whelan, the Project Leader, to Moling Ryan, whose idea this was at the outset and to Mary Rose Tobin, for efficiently managing the inclusiveness aspects of the entire process, commenting that without their faith in the outcome of the project, it would not be where it is today.
Following the official launch, Paul Reid from DPER agreed to stay on for a brief open session with members on the ongoing contribution Agencies can make to the reform and transformation agenda.
His presentation was clear and substantive, and the open honest engagement by him was refreshing and very welcome.
Key Discussion Points
He covered the positives from the reform agenda and outlined the messages relevant to the next phase. The issues of devolved accountability and recruitment were seen as particularly pertinent. It was mentioned that we might see some limited devolution of expenditure controls.
Although there are still tough times ahead, there was some acknowledgement that ‘the well is dry’ as far as further cuts to pay and conditions of public servants are concerned.
There was also some acknowledgement of the need to give Departments and Agencies more flexibility in managing their budgets, though fears still remain in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform about loss of central control in that event.
Evaluation
30 members attended this very useful session. In addition to being very appreciative of the work that had gone into the development of the CEO Guide, they were impressed with thegood overall view of the developments in the Public Sector Reform Programme received from Paul Reid.