Building on the commitment to shared services set out in the Programme for Government and the Public Service Reform Plan, the Government has agreed a strategic approach to progress shared services in all sectors of the Public Service.
The key sectors of health, education, justice and defence have also been asked to prepare shared services plans during the first half of this year. It is intended that the Committee on Public Service Reform will regularly consider the progress being made in the implementation of these plans. It is also expected that a shared services expert with extensive experience in the field will join the Reform and Delivery Office of the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform shortly.
The Public Service Reform Plan, published on November 17 2011, states: “The implementation of shared services models will be core to our reform plans in areas such as HR, Finance, Payroll, Banking and Pensions. Shared services will provide significant benefits through a reduction in duplication, streamlining of business processes and reduced transaction times. It will be implemented on a phased basis up to
2016.”
Minister of State with Special Responsibility for the OPW and Public Service Reform, Brian Hayes TD, who is driving work behind this area, noted this week the importance of maintaining a strong focus on delivery and stated that: “Work on a shared service approach to human resources is already well advanced and in line with our ambitious reform plan a Cost Benefit Analysis will be presented to Cabinet by the end of March. I have no doubt that the expertise we are building in the Reform and Delivery Office will ensure that the use of shared services right across the Public Service is both expanded and accelerated”. Minister Brian Hayes will address these issues during his keynote address at the Public Affairs Ireland Conference on March 29 entitled ‘Shared Services and Outsourcing in the Irish Public Service’. For more information click here.