Public service reform is the real issue

SIPTU president Jack O’Connor claims that the Government’s badly botched decentralisation scheme has now put at risk his union’s willingness to conclude a new social partnership agreement. However, the damage is probably much worse than this.

There is widespread evidence of the need for reform of the public service.

Whatever Government is elected next year needs to tackle the outmoded work practices, absence of accountability, demarcation disputes and salary relativities which have hamstrung delivery of value-for-money service from a relatively well-paid and highly secure sector for far too long.