Civil Service

Thursday, 28 May 2026

Questions (63)

Grace Boland

Question:

63. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation whether his Department has undertaken any review, benchmarking exercise or assessment of the effectiveness of employee performance management systems across the civil service and wider public service, including comparisons with other European Union member states or Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries; the findings and recommendations arising from any such work; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [39984/26]

View answer

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation

The Performance Management and Development System, which operates across the Civil Service, is overseen by my Department and kept under ongoing review at department and office level. It is important to note that responsibility for performance management in the wider public service rests with the individual sectors and does not fall within the remit of my Department.

Performance data is reviewed annually across organisations to support effective delivery and alignment with priorities. Recent reforms, including the alignment of the Civil Service Capability Framework with the system from January 2026, ensure that arrangements continue to evolve in line with the Public Service Transformation 2030 Strategy.

While there are currently no plans to undertake a formal benchmarking exercise with other jurisdictions, this option will be kept under review in the context of future reform priorities. Ireland actively participates in international networks, including the OECD and the European Public Administration Network (EUPAN), which support the analysis and sharing of international workforce insights and best practice.