Howlin concerned at ‘gotcha’ culture in civil service

The Government does not intend to create a Ryanair-style no frills public service, the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin has said.

Speaking at the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Finance and Public Expenditure and Reform, he said he was seeking a high quality public service where there was clear accountability for inputs and outcomes.

Mr Howlin expressed concern at the emergence of what he described as a “gotcha” culture where if somebody could be nailed for making a mistake it would be a good thing.

He said if that developed no civil servant would make a decision as then they could never be wrong.

Mr Howlin suggested that in future there would be a different model of recruitment into the Civil Service.

He said everyone would not be a generalist, that there would be more specialists taken on and at senior level more people would be appointed on a contract basis.

The Minister said he wanted to see “a reform dividend” with savings achieved from public services back office reforms used in part to fund increased recruitment to the front line. He said this process had facilitated the recruitment of gardai and additional special needs assistants in the education sector this year.