Public Sector Reform involves supporting the development of, and innovation in Ireland’s Public Sector. It has three main pillars:  

  1. Delivering for Our Public
  2. Innovating for Our Future
  3. Developing Our People and Organisations 

The short version is ‘doing things better’.

This involves ensuring that outcomes for the public are central to what we do. It means never forgetting the learner and involving them in the design and delivery of services and improving how we listen and communicate with the public. Value for money, accessibility and quality are important here too. 

An example of delivering for the public might include ensuring that we are spending taxpayer’s money fairly and transparently by how we procure goods and services. Another example would be the improved use of technology by ETBs in ensuring continuity of education and other supports during the Covid-19 restrictions.

This involves ETBI and its member ETBs being more innovative and collaborative so that it can respond to the challenges Ireland faces. It means the ‘left hand talking to the right’ and evaluating what we do and how we can do it better. Having up to date and accurate data and employing good practices is central to innovation. 

An example of innovation would be the ETBI Take 1 programme to embed the Sustainable Development Education Goals in the Junior Cycle Curriculum. Another would be the development and planned implementation of Core Values across all ETB Schools, underpinned by the Goodness Me Goodness You curricular programme 

The actions in this pillar help to build strong and agile public service organisations. Actions focus on sharing best practice and experience in areas such as strategic human resource management, workforce planning, employee engagement, public service culture and values, diversity and inclusion. 

Put simply its about ensuring that ETB staff have the right mix of tools and skills to support them in delivering services to the public and that a culture of evaluation is promoted.  

Examples of this would include the design and delivery of the ETBI UCC Certificate in Procurement Management and the Instructional Leadership Programme to enhance teaching and learning in ETB schools.

The Public Sector Reform (PSR) Unit was established in ETBI in September 2010, with a particular focus on procurement and communications though the following functions:

  • Manage and coordinate Public Service Reform initiatives  
  • Manage the OGP relationship and coordinate procurement initiatives for the ETB’s 
  • Support the General Secretary of ETBI with the stakeholder engagement for the implementation the Public Service Reform agenda 
  • Manage communications on Public Service Reform across ETBI and ETBs 
  • Manage and develop networks to support sector wide change 
  • Develop and coordinate training and education programmes to support Public Service Reform for the ETB sector 

21/11/2019 Pictured are members of various Country wide Education and Training Board’s, who received their Level 8 Certificate in Procurement Management, an ETBI course delivered and accredited by UCC, at the UCC Adult Continuing Education Conferring, at UCC Campus, Cork. Picture: Jim Coughlan.