THE GOVERNMENT has proposed the abolition of special privilege or additional days off given to civil servants at Christmas and Easter.
The Government has also signaled that it wants to end the fortnightly half-hour time off initially given to civil servants some years ago, before direct lodgements became common, to allow them to cash their cheques.
The measures have been proposed as part of reform plans for the Civil Service which were tabled by Department of Finance officials at a meeting with public sector trade unions yesterday.
The Taoiseach Brian Cowen told trade union leaders last week that the Government considered the transformation agenda for the public service as one of its main priorities and said that union demands for guarantees on jobs, pay and pensions could only be considered as part of an overall deal.
The reform proposals for the Civil Service were the first in a series to be put forward by the Government. Meetings will take place next week with trade unions in relation to proposed changes for staff in local authorities and the health sector.
Civil service staff currently receive one privilege day at Christmas and another at Easter.
In addition to the proposals in relation to the privilege days and “bank time”, Department of Finance officials yesterday also indicated that the Government wanted to see greater scope to redeploy civil servants when necessary.
However it is understood that they signalled that initially at least such redeployment would be within the Civil Service rather than across the wider public sector where differing terms and conditions apply, making such a process more difficult.
It is understood that Department of Finance officials said that the Government also wanted to look at out-dated work practices. However union sources said that no specifics were put forward.
Sources said that the Department of Finance also indicated that in future there could be a greater use of shared services such as one government department operating a payroll system for another. It is understood that officials also suggested that there could be a common means assessment across the public sector rather than different agencies and departments carrying out their own assessments of the means of members of the public.
It is understood that the Department of Finance also signalled that more out-sourcing of services could happen in the future.
Sources said that the Department of Finance officials also indicated that the Government wanted a review of performance management systems.
No formal reform proposal document for the Civil Service was tabled yesterday, however further talks are scheduled to take place next Wednesday which will focus on redeployment of staff.
Meanwhile it is understood that up to 16 staff in the Department of Finance – which has about 600 overall – have applied to leave under the new early retirement scheme.
More details of initial applications under the scheme across the public service are expected to emerge next week .
Separately yesterday the Government held its first meeting with trade unions on plans for a new State initiative to protect and create jobs.
Mr Cowen last week said that this could involve the use of money which would otherwise have been allocated for social welfare payments.
It is understood that the Government indicated that it would consider the provision of additional resources other than social welfare funding for this initiative, as sought by the unions.