FIGURES from industry, the trade unions and academic life are among the membership of a group set up to reform the Civil Service, which is due to be announced shortly.
The Co-ordinating Group for the Strategic Management Initiative is to be chaired by the secretary of the Department of the Taoiseach, Mr Paddy Teahon. It will oversee the implementation of Delivering Better Government the programme for change in the Civil Service introduced by the Taoiseach, Mr Bruton, in Dublin Castle last month.
The Irish Times has learned that private sector representatives on the co ordinating group will include Mr Tony Barry, chairman of the building materials firm, CRH Mr John Dunne, of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation and Ms Caitriona Murphy, of the AIB.
Trade union representatives will include Mr Kevin Duffy, assistant general secretary, ICTU Mr Paddy Keating, of IMPACT, Mr Dan Murphy, of the Public Service Executive Union Mr John O Dowd, of the Civil and Public Service Union and Mr Sean O Riordain, from the Association of Higher Civil Servants.
In addition to Mr Teahon, the following departmental secretaries will be members Mr Paddy Mullarkey (Finance), Mr Eddie McCumiskey (Social Welfare), Mr John Loughrey (Transport, Energy and Communications) and Ms Margaret Hayes (Tourism and Trade).
Among the other members of the group will be Ms Carmel Foley, of the Employment Equality Agency Dr Caroline Hussey, registrar of UCD, Prof John Murray and Ms Noreen Kearney, of TCD Ms Mamo McDonald, former president of the Irish Countrywomen's Association and Ms Julie O'Neill from the Office of the Tanaiste.
The group will be asked to submit its first report to the Government by October. The Minister of State at the Departments of the Taoiseach and Finance, Ms Avril Doyle, will be actively involved in promoting the Strategic Management Initiative.
The Government is planning a series of changes to improve the performance of the Civil Service, making it more efficient and accountable and more responsive to the needs of the public.
Among the more controversial proposals in Delivering Better Government was a recommendation that the power to dismiss civil servants be vested in departmental secretaries rather than the government, as at present.