FG prepares to unveil plan for government reform

Fine Gael is preparing to unveil its plan to shake up the public service if it gets into government.

The plan, called 'Reinventing Government', is being touted as the most radical change in the way the state works, since its foundation.

It includes provisions for a slimmed down civil service, the abolition of the HSE in its current form, and a new cabinet minister for public sector reform.

The party's spokesman on the issue, Richard Bruton, said the changes would require "mature" discussion with public sector unions, but could happen within the terms of the Croke Park Agreement.

General Secretary of the Public Sector Executive Union Tom Geraghty said he was therefore not overly concerned at this stage.