Events
WITHOUT FEAR OR FAVOUR: THE TENSION BETWEEN ACCOUNTABILITY AND INDEPENDENCE IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR
Date: 28/11/2018
PRESENTER: MARY ELLEN RING
On Wednesday 28th November 2018 we held a Breakfast Briefing which was attended by 25 ACESA members.
The presenter, Justice Mary Ellen Ring is Chairperson of the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission. She became a judge of the Circuit Court in April 2012 and of the High Court in July 2015. She was appointed to the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission in August 2015 and was reappointed as Chairperson on 12 December 2016.
The presentation was very engaging and provided a fascinating insight into the challenges GSOC faces. The presenter explored the different aspects of accountability and focussed on how GSOC provides for accountability whilst protecting its independence and the challenges it faces in ensuring accountability to its various stakeholders. These challenges are faced by most statutory bodies. Mary Ellen Ring addressed members on the tensions which can often arise for Public Sector Bodies between the dual requirements of maintaining their independence and remaining fully accountable for the discharge of their functions.
The subsequent discussion was deemed to be particularly useful and interesting. Someone with a judicial remit can offer a wider perspective and their comments carry a lot of authority. There are challenges facing an independent agency around independence, funding and staffing, and there is a need to involve agencies at all stages of relevant legislation.
There are shared challenges around productive engagement with Departments and Ministers. There is a need for a partnership approach, especially around funding requirements, and earlier involvement in legislative/policy decisions that impact on the work of Agencies. There is a divide between the accountability of an organisation and the requirement to follow dictated rules from relevant Departments.