Template DCENR January 2010
Public Service Agreement 2010 -2014 (Croke Park Agreement)
CIVIL SERVICE AND NON-COMMERCIAL STATE AGENCY SECTOR
DEPARTMENTAL ACTION PLAN
For submission by 6 January 2011
|
1. Better human resource management Actions to include under this heading include reductions in numbers, redeployment, reconfiguration of service delivery, revisions in attendance arrangements, better attendance and absence management, etc. |
|
Terms of the Public Service Agreement 2010 – 2014
(refer to all relevant paragraphs) |
Action |
Timeframe |
Benefits Arising 2010 - 2014 |
|
4.3 |
Improved Flexibility within the Department.
The Department expects to adhere to the revised Employment Control Framework notified by the Department of Finance and make the required adjustments by the end of 2014. The end 2011 target may not be achieved until February, 2012. Implementation of the revised ECF will yield the following approximate savings set out in the columns across
A Senior Management Working Group has prepared a proposal around increased flexibility within the Department.
Ø Preparation of a skills register
Ø Temporary re-deployment of staff to priority areas
The Department is participating in the FAS graduate placement programme
|
End 2012
End 2013
End 2014
End 2015
Q1 &Q2 2011
Ongoing
Implemented
|
€340,000
€585,000
€820,000
€1110,000
This will allow much greater discretion to move staff in response to temporary pressure points, to broaden the experience and skills basis of staff and to implement Departmental priorities with reduced staff numbers.
This will allow additional targeted resources at no additional cost and give valuable work experience to participants.
|
4.4 |
Attendance Management
Review and amend existing attendance management policy.
Ø Design new attendance management policy for all staff incorporating the new Department of Finance circulars on Sick Leave, aTypicial Working and existing performance management tools such as PMDS.
Ø Rollout of new attendance management policy
Ø Introduction of electronic clock in for all staff
|
Q1 2011
Q2 2011
Q3 2011
|
An increased focus on attendance management in 2011 will facilitate improved productivity among the Department’s workforce and allow the delivery of the current work programme within the new ECF.
Targeted reduction in sick leave 10%
|
|
4.3 |
Cross Stream Reporting
A more integrated approach to the management of key projects particularly those in the SMART Economy Framework for which DECNR and its Agencies are responsible. This will involve establishing multi-agency teams (from within the DCENR family) with complementary skill sets in policy areas of the Department.
Ø Identification of projects in the Department in which staff from bodies associated with the Department could work along with Departmental staff in order to achieve sectoral objectives
Ø Working with the bodies concerned to identify suitable candidates for cross sectoral teams
Ø Consultation with staff side
Ø Review of action |
Ongoing
|
The implementation of increased flexibility within the Department will allow staffing resources to be allocated to the priority areas. It will also allow expertise in State Agencies to be utilised for the benefit of the Department and the agencies.
|
4.1 and 4.4 |
Assessment of Capacities Across All Sites
Consideration can be given to greater integration between the offices in Dublin and Cavan primarily by transferring functions undertaken in Dublin either wholly or partially to Cavan, while not increasing staffing numbers in Cavan.
Ø Management Working Group to look at improved integration between Dublin and Cavan. This could mean the full or partial transfer of work to Cavan from Dublin
Ø This Group will report by the end of Q1 2011.
|
Q1 2011 |
The benefit of this approach will allow the Department to realise greater synergies between the Dublin and Cavan offices; it will assist in discharging the wide and extensive work programme of the Department notwithstanding a reduction in resources.
|
4.1 and 4.4 |
Review of switchboard contract
€100k/annum for telephonist services
Ø Review existing contract for telephonist contract
Ø Analyse workload
Ø Consider non-renewal of contract and consider internalising it to Department
|
Q2 2011 |
50K savings in 2011 and 100k in the years 2012 to 2014. |
|
2. Better Business Processes Actions under this heading would include efficiency measures including procurement, revisions to business process, reconfigurations and other changes to service delivery options, including sharing of service, revisions to regulatory/inspection actions, and so on. |
|
Terms of the Public Service Agreement 2010 - 2014 |
Action |
Timeframe |
Estimated Savings/Benefits Arising 2010 - 2014 |
|
4.1 |
Reduce Non-Pay Administrative Budget of Department by 14%
Ø the actions outlined below in this section 4.1 will contribute to these savings as well as contributing additional savings. |
Implemented in Budget 2011 |
Resulting in savings of €1.5m per annum. |
4.15 |
Shared Services ICT
Core IT service delivery to be provided for DCENR by the Dept. of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
1. Agree Project Plan with DAFF
2. Move existing servers from LGCSB including new hardware and virtualisation of all
3. Reduced reliance on IT Force contract
4. DAFF to provide full day to day operations support.
|
Q4 2010
Q1 2011
Q2 2011
Q3 2011 |
Hosting – LGCSB:
€75,000
Helpdesk – IT Force:
€150,000
Network Maintenance:
50,000
Total savings per annum
€275,000.
|
4.15 |
Payroll Shared Services
Transfer the payment of employees salaries from this Department to the Department of Finance (DoF)
|
Q2 2011 |
€165,000 per annum
There will be an additional once-off net saving of €47,000 in 2011relating to upgrades on the payroll system that will not now be required; will also facilitate the redeployment of a very small number of staff to other areas in the Department. |
4.15 |
Facilities Management Shared Services
The potential to share services with other Departments will be investigated in addition to the possibility of administering a number of services (building management, cleaning, security, catering, waste management etc.) via a single procurement/contract.
Subject to satisfactorily identifying the requirements of an overall Facilities Management (FM) contract, the designing of a comprehensive RFT to present to the market in line with standard public procurement procedures will proceed.
|
Ongoing
Indicative |
TBC (Depending on outcome of study) |
4.1 |
Review Accommodation Capacity and Use
Ø With additional accommodation capacity coming available in HQ, there is scope to move some divisions/staff in outlying offices in Dublin resulting in savings in accommodation and facilities costs. |
Q1 2011
|
Estimate of savings??? |
4.1 |
Review OPW maintenance contract
Ø The scope here firstly requires identification of any maintenance requirements which could rest outside the OPW remit and cost structure
Ø Once identified same will be costed and analysed to see if better VFM is available outside the OPW structure
|
2011 |
TBC |
4.1 |
Review Department’s Travel policies
Ø Identify where inefficiencies exist
Ø Develop efficient and cost effective travel policies/guidelines/advice for both domestic and foreign travel
Ø Circulate to all staff
|
Q2 2011 |
The review should allow for savings in travel and subsistence expenditure |
|
3. Delivering for the Citizen Actions under this heading would include efficiency measures and improvements to the processes by which your Department/body delivers its services to the public, including changes to the technology used, better data management, including around identity, and so on. |
|
Terms of the Public Service Agreement 2010 - 2014 |
Action |
Timeframe |
Estimated Savings/Benefits Arising 2010 - 2014 |
4.13 |
Develop the Department’s website
Establish Group to examine how better use of the website could be obtained to drive efficiencies and provide a better service to the public on all activities of the Department; already such data relating to the Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI), onshore and offshore exploration activities is available via the website to the public.
|
|
Better use of ICT should allow for administrative savings. |