TRANSFORMING PUBLIC SERVICES

In April 2008 the OECD review of the Irish Public Service ‘Towards an Integrated Public Service’ outlined the potential for increasing value for money and achieving better quality and more efficient services for citizens. This review formed the context for the Government’s Task Force on the Public Service, which was set up with the specific remit of developing a plan to respond to the findings and recommendations of the OECD report.

Delivery of a more efficient, effective and integrated public service will focus on a number of areas:

• Clarity of purpose
• Performance
• Citizen Engagement
• E-Government and shared services
• People and leadership
• Governance

Growing Expectations

The public expects a public service that performs to best international standards, is responsive, fast, flexible, efficient and innovative. They also expect it to be costeffective, compliant with demanding governance and accountability requirements, and true to the values of an independent public service providing evidence-based policy advice and ensuring the delivery of public services in a fair and accountable manner.

Increasingly, they expect it to tackle complex and interconnected and sometimes conflicting cross-public service policy objectives. (Report of the Task Force on the Public Service).

Efficiencies

Sligo County Council is committed to delivering an efficient service, and an ‘Efficiency Working Group’ has been established to consider value for money potential in the areas of:

• Waste Management
  Review disposal and recovery methods, develop an organisation policy on each waste type, promote and implement best practice techniques.
• Building Maintenance
  Review costs for electrical services, cleaning and general maintenance.
• Stationery
  Develop a co-ordinated approach to orders, prepare terms and conditions for suppliers, review expenditure. 

Water Conservation

Sligo County Council delivers 38 million litres of water a day to homes, schools, businesses and farms. This supply is delivered from 10 public water supply schemes, distributed through a network of 1,500 Kilometres.

Safeguarding our treated water supplies is one of the key challenges facing local authorities. Treated drinking water is a very valuable resource, and we have to do all in our power to ensure that treated water is used respectfully and protected against wastage. There are two basic ways to achieve this aim – to conserve water and to eliminate waste. This is important not just for the present generation but also for future generations. It has to be a combined effort to preserve our largest natural resource.

Working with Consumers

Sligo County Council is supporting the ‘County Sligo Water Conservation and Network Management Project’, which is being co-ordinated by Dr Tom Curran UCD and Dr John Bartlett of UCD. One of the aims of the initiative is to instil the practice of water conservation in all consumers across the County.

The fines under the Water Services legislation are quite severe, and are a reflection of the critical importance of this issue.