These are some of the main proposals in the document on public service reform published by the Government today:
– Reduce public service pay by €2.5 billion, or 15 per cent
– Cut 48 ‘quangos’ by end 2012 and review a further 46 bodies by middle of next year
– Standardise annual leave across the public service
– Abolition of ‘festival’ days and ‘race’ days where they exist in some areas of civil service
– Create a new single awarding authority for student grants including an online application process for more than 72,000 student
– Accelerate reform of procurement and consolidate ICT infrastructure
– Shared HR, payroll and pensions services in the Civil Service, to streamline operations and remove duplicate activities – commencing 2012 and to be completed by 2015