State of the Public Service Series

This report examines trends in public sector development and is the seventh in our annual series. The intention is to help inform the debate on Ireland’s public sector and public administration, and its role in Irish society.

Here we try to bring some evidence to bear on the important debate on the future shape, size and direction of the public sector. Using data gathered from a number of sources, information on the size and cost of the public sector, the quality of public administration, efficiency and performance, and levels of trust and confidence is presented in a simple but rigorous manner.

 

In the State of the Public Service research series, we seek to provide evidence-informed research and commentary on key aspects of contemporary Irish public administration. The authors of these reports bring their considerable expertise and practical knowledge to the topics selected so as to provide evidence, insights and recommendations to support future development. Our aim is that these reports will not only inform, but also challenge current thinking about how the Irish public service performs. It is intended that these short research reports will be of relevance and use not only to public servants, but also to policy makers and the wider public.

 

Review of National Non-Commercial State Agencies in Ireland: 2010-2015

The Irish public service comprises a complex and multi-faceted system employing many thousands of people who are responsible for delivering countless services to citizens and communities on a daily basis throughout the country. Ensuring that our public service operates consistently to the highest standard is an ongoing challenge and also the subject of much debate. Over the course of its history the Institute of Public Administration has sought to contribute to, and inform, debate on the performance of our public service.

In this report, we examine changes in the landscape of national non-commercial agencies in Ireland. The role, performance, and corporate governance of agencies have been major topics for discussion and debate in recent times, as has the number of agencies involved in public service provision. The Institute has been to the forefront in providing evidence to inform this debate, being the first to map the state agency landscape in 2005, and again in 2010. This study provides the latest update, and brings much needed evidence from national and international practice.

In the State of the Public Service research series, we seek to provide evidence-informed research and commentary on key aspects of contemporary Irish public administration, including its organisational form, systems, people and processes. The authors of these reports bring their considerable expertise and practical knowledge to the topics selected so as to provide evidence, insights and recommendations to support future development. Our aim is that these reports will not only inform, but also challenge current thinking about how the Irish public service performs. It is intended that these short research reports will be of relevance and use not only to public servants, but also to policy-makers and the wider public.

 

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Public Sector Trends 2015

This report examines trends in public sector development and is the sixth in our annual series. The intention is to help inform the debate on Ireland’s public sector and public administration, and its role in Irish society.

Here we try to bring some evidence to bear on the important debate on the future shape and size of the public sector. Using data gathered from a number of sources, information on the size and cost of the public sector, the quality of public administration, efficiency and performance, and levels of trust and confidence is presented in a simple but rigorous manner.

In the State of the Public Service research series, we seek to provide evidence-informed research and commentary on key aspects of contemporary Irish public administration. The authors of these reports bring their considerable expertise and practical knowledge to the topics selected so as to provide evidence, insights and recommendations to support future development. Our aim is that these reports will not only inform, but also challenge current thinking about how the Irish public service performs. It is intended that these short research reports will be of relevance and use not only to public servants, but also to policy makers and the wider public.

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Organisational Culture and the Public Service

Many times in recent years failings of the Irish public service have been blamed on organisational culture. This paper seeks to shed light on organisational culture, what is meant by the term, particularities of organisational culture in the public service, the relationship between organisational culture and performance, the centrality of effective leadership to a functional organisational culture and lastly how to assess, and if necessary change, organisational culture.

In the State of the Public Service research series, we seek to provide evidence-informed research and commentary on key aspects of contemporary Irish public administration. The authors of these reports bring their considerable expertise and practical knowledge to the topics selected so as to provide evidence, insights and recommendations to support future development. Our aim is that these reports will not only inform, but also challenge current thinking about how the Irish public service performs. It is intended that these short research reports will be of relevance and use not only to public servants, but also to policy makers and the wider public.

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Public Sector Trends 2014

This report examines trends in public sector development and is the sixth in our annual series. The intention is to help inform the debate on Ireland’s public sector and public administration, and its role in Irish society.

Here we try to bring some evidence to bear on the important debate on the future shape and size of the public sector. Using data gathered from a number of sources, information on the size and cost of the public sector, the quality of public administration, efficiency and performance, and levels of trust and confidence is presented in a simple but rigorous manner.

In the State of the Public Service research series, we seek to provide evidence-informed research and commentary on key aspects of contemporary Irish public administration. The authors of these reports bring their considerable expertise and practical knowledge to the topics selected so as to provide evidence, insights and recommendations to support future development. Our aim is that these reports will not only inform, but also challenge current thinking about how the Irish public service performs. It is intended that these short research reports will be of relevance and use not only to public servants, but also to policy makers and the wider public.

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The State of Policy Evaluation in Ireland

This report is timed to coincide with the holding of the conference of the European Evaluation Society in Dublin in October 2014. This bringing together of those involved in evaluation across Europe and wider afield provides an opportunity to reflect on the state of evaluation practice in Ireland at this time.

In the State of the Public Service research series, we seek to provide evidence-informed research and commentary on key aspects of contemporary Irish public administration. The authors of these reports bring their considerable expertise and practical knowledge to the topics selected so as to provide evidence, insights and recommendations to support future development. Our aim is that these reports will not only inform, but also challenge current thinking about how the Irish public service performs. It is intended that these short research reports will be of relevance and use not only to public servants, but also to policy makers and the wider public.

We welcome any comments or feedback you might have on the report.

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Public Sector Reform in Ireland: Views and Experiences from Senior Executives

In September/October 2013 senior managers in the civil service and state agencies were asked to participate in a major international survey on public service reform. The survey is part of the largest comparative public administration research project in Europe, ´Coordinating for Cohesion in the Public Sector of the Future´ (COCOPS) (see www.cocops.eu for details). This paper sets out the results of the survey for Ireland. It explores what senior public servants think about public sector reform.

Views are compared with those of top public servants in other European countries. The results emphasise the influence of the fiscal crisis on reform in Ireland. At the same time, they show that Irish public executives have a broadly positive view of many aspects of public sector reform.

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Civil Service Accountability: Challenge and Change

This report is somewhat different in nature to other reports in the State of the Public Service research series in that it includes a response to the discussion paper Strengthening Civil Service Accountability and Performance published by the Government Reform Unit of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. The intention is to add to and inform the consultation process started by the production of the discussion paper.

The report brings evidence to bear on this crucial subject of accountability from both international and national practice. It addresses questions raised in the discussion paper and suggests ways of enhancing accountability whilst being aware of the dangers of accountability overload.

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Public Sector Trends 2013

This report examines trends in public sector development and is the fourth in our annual series. The intention is to help inform the debate on Ireland’s public sector and public administration, and its role in Irish society.

Here we try to bring some evidence to bear on the important debate on the future shape and size of the public sector. Using data gathered from a number of sources, information on the size and cost of the public sector, the quality of public administration, efficiency and performance, and levels of trust and confidence is presented in a simple but rigorous manner.

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Public Service Motivation

The notion that people are motivated to work in the public service as a result of a desire to serve or to have a positive impact on society is a long-standing one. This report examines how the current public service reform process, and the wider context of reform, may be impacting on the motivation of public servants. It also identifies ways in which public service managers can maintain employee motivation in a difficult environment, with consequent benefits for morale and performance.

Maintaining a motivated workforce is critical to achieving the objectives of reform. The report concludes that in circumstances where extrinsic motivations, such as pay, are being reduced, it is critical that public service managers in Ireland are aware of the importance of fostering and supporting the intrinsic motivations of employees, and are skilled at doing so. This report presents four key approaches that help organisations develop a culture grounded in public service motivation

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