Legislation to reform of the civil service and make decision-making more flexible includes a range of new disciplinary sanctions, it was revealed today.
The Civil Service Regulation (Amendment) Bill 2004, published today by the Minister for Finance Mr McCreevy, broadens disciplinary measures to include suspension without pay.
Civil servants who consistently underperform even after training or coaching will now face a possible reduction in pay, rank or suspension without pay.
Mr McCreevy said the Bill was "the third recent initiative which, when taken with the introduction of the Civil Service Code of Standards and Behaviour and further reforms in the area of public service pensions, would serve to modernise the Irish civil service."
Managers are also to be given more freedom to hire civil servants on temporary or fixed-term contracts for a finite-term project.
The Bill also allows for the hiring of people over the age of 65.