Sustaining Progress - Department of Taoiseach

25.10 It is accepted that a more intensified focus is required on the modernisation of human resource
management, the continued promotion of open recruitment procedures and the continued promotion
of the health, local authority and education sectors as employers of choice.
25.11 In recognition of the nature of the “Common Recruitment Pool” system, the relevant parties agree
to conduct a cross-sectoral review of recruitment issues pertinent to the grades, including greater
accessibility and the introduction of a graduate entry level. The review will commence immediately
and will report with recommendations within twelve months.
The Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Bill
25.12 The Public Appointments Service provided for under the Public Service Management (Recruitment and
Appointments) Bill will be the centralised recruitment and selection body for senior management
posts in the local authority sector. The Bill will also provide for the appointment of Commissioners
of Public Service Appointments who will be responsible for the probity of the recruitment process
through the use of suitable Codes of Practice and a licensing regime. The Bill allows for the extension
of the role of the Commissioners for Public Service Appointments to the local authority sector. Early
consultations with the relevant unions in the sector will take place on the draft legislation.
Information Technology
25.13 To underpin the other elements of the overall BLG programme and the implementation of
e-Government initiatives, the ICT Vision for local government was launched in May 2000. That
document sets out the potential use of technology as a catalyst to help achieve the overall objectives
of the SMI process. It proposed a number of key pilot projects to begin to realise the objectives:
■ the development of intranets in all local authorities:
■ the implementation of a new system to support the planning process; and
■ the move to an electronic form of procurement for all goods and services in local government.
25.14 Significant progress has been achieved in all of the above and the parties are committed to concrete
plans for further roll-out during 2003 of the various applications to local authorities around the
country.
Section 26: Performance Verification
Verification
26.1 Paragraph 19.22 of the Public Service Pay Agreement provides that payment of the final two phases of
the benchmarking increases and the general round increases is dependent, in the case of each sector,
organisation and grade, on verification of satisfactory achievement of the provisions on co-operation
with flexibility and ongoing change; satisfactory implementation of the agenda for modernisation set
out in Sections 20 to 26, and the maintenance of stable industrial relations and absence of industrial
action in respect of any matters covered by this Agreement.
Part 2 Pay and the Workplace
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