Culture Shift Required

The grilling Kevin Cardiff got over the ‘missing €3.6bn’ was probably unique for a civil servant, but it is not clear yet if this represents a new era of accountability, writes Michael Clifford

KEVIN CARDIFF must think he is the unluckiest bunny ever to emerge from the civil service.

The outgoing secretary general of the Department of Finance has been thrust into the spotlight on two fronts, both of which highlight the culture of our public service. He is being promoted on a basis other than performance, and is shipping blame for malfunction in his bailiwick. The first of these matters has long been standard practice in the public service, but holding to account a senior public servant is almost entirely unique.