Investigation into the Department of Finance - at last...

[C. Flower]

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/...breaking4.html

I've been posting about the catastrophic deficiencies in qualified staff in the Department of Finance since I looked at who they had at the time of the Bank Guarantee. At last, an investigation. And this time, will Cowen and Lenihan be interviewed ?

A wide-ranging review of the Department of Finance and its management of the financial crisis will be carried out by independent experts, Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan has announced.
The review which will “evaluate the systems, structures and processes used by the Department of Finance in providing advice to the Minister and the Government” will be carried out separately from the commission of inquiry into the banking crisis.

The Minister said yesterday he wanted to ensure for the future that the department could give the best achievable policy advice; could better assess risks and opportunities in the fiscal, economic and financial system; and could manage its own operations with high levels of effectiveness and efficiency.

[ang]

This is good news and a lot will depend on the terms of reference but it is most definitely a step in the right direction.

[Rich]

I notice that it does not cover the decisions of the current Minister or his predecessors. Any and all investigations are fatally flawed if they don't include the actions (and/or inactions) of the Ministers in question.

[C. Flower]

I notice that it does not cover the decisions of the current Minister or his predecessors. Any and all investigations are fatally flawed if they don't include the actions (and/or inactions) of the Ministers in question.

Quite impossible to assess the D o F's advice without looking at its impact on Minsterial decisions. And also pointless.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Nevertheless and given the extraordinary cut-off point for the banking enquiry which mysteriously crunches up against the date where Lenny & Co were arranging the heist it'll be interesting to see what caveats they managed to insert in this investigation- and even better who the 'independent' investigators will be ... probably the Israeli government

[DCon]

Nevertheless and given the extraordinary cut-off point for the banking enquiry which mysteriously crunches up against the date where Lenny & Co were arranging the heist it'll be interesting to see what caveats they managed to insert in this investigation- and even better who the 'independent' investigators will be ... probably the Israeli government

My money is on Alan Dukes to lead it. More State money for Dukes.

[ang]

Ruari Quinn would like to ensure that Mr McCreevy is part of any investigation into the DoF:-

OFFICIALS in the Department of Finance were "completely undermined" in relation to spending decisions when Charlie McCreevy was minister, according to his predecessor in the portfolio.


Labour’s Ruairí Quinn, who was minister for finance from 1994 to 1997, said aspects of Mr McCreevy’s term in that office should be investigated as part of an independent review into the Department of Finance announced this week.

He said Mr McCreevy "knew everything" and "rode over" decisions by his officials, particularly in relation to the granting of €14 million for an equestrian events centre at Punchestown Racecourse in his constituency.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland...gn-123262.html

[C. Flower]

Does anyone have information on the Terms of Reference ?

[ang]

No it will be discussed again next week in committee when some sort of agreement may be reached as to terms.

[Furze]

No it will be discussed again next week in committee when some sort of agreement may be reached as to terms.

Why does this need to happen ? - herein is the problem "some sort of agreement"
Until there is proper whistleblower legislation in place, all the investigations, examinations etc are a waste of time for the general net taxpayers.

Same nonsense occurs at the Public Account Committee where the members enjoy absolute privilege and the respondents must dream up answers for fear of being sued.

[C. Flower]

Why does this need to happen ? - herein is the problem "some sort of agreement"
Until there is proper whistleblower legislation in place, all the investigations, examinations etc are a waste of time for the general net taxpayers.

Same nonsense occurs at the Public Account Committee where the members enjoy absolute privilege and the respondents must dream up answers for fear of being sued.

Very good points.

The main reason I'll be reading the T o Rs is to see which has been "inexplicably" excluded.

That may tell me more than the final report.

We aren't going to see whistleblower legislation if we have people in Government who should be under lock and key.

[Captain Con O'Sullivan]

Its extraordinary the blatant favouritism shown towards crooks by instruments of the Irish state.

But then again Fianna Fail have been in power and they would naturally be inclined towards Albanian style politics as many of them are simply greedy little peasants wearing ties.

Basically we have a bunch of lawyers rigging the system to protect themselves and other members of the profession closest to prostitution.

[simonj]

With this investigation we ned to know who was to blame when 'intrusive demands" from line staff at the financial regulators were set aside when senior regulators were approached.

To quote the Watson Reingling report “internal procedures were overridden, sometimes systematically.”
The regulators did not do their jobs, and on the basis of political and business favours they were overlooked.

Having light touch regulaton is one thing, but the shelving of investigations is to me criminal, and someone needs to answer that.

[C. Flower]

Great comment in yesterday's Irish Times: responding to Eddie Molloy's opinion piece on reform of the Department of Finance

[Url="http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/0626/1224273355121.html[/URL]

[quote]
Patrick Hennessy


I worked in the DPS ( Department of Public Service) years ago under Ray Mc Sharry a Department which was brought out from under DoF and then brought in again. I think I was the youngest Assistant Principal in the DPS in 1980 and worked alongside colleagues who subsequently went on to become Secretary of Government departments and Central Bank governors. I left in 1982 to the EU and then the UN. What I observed then was a new phenemon of the "special advisor" which grew into that powerful species between Ministers and Departments and were in effect the spin masters of Ministers. Given that the Govt. was nearly always FF and ministers and special advisors just rotated around Ministries for decades senior civil servants became obsequious, to both Ministers and spin master advisors.

Senior civil servants with a good ability to "hold their pint" and spend at least two or three late evenings around Killdare Street and the Green mixing with the boys from the Dail. Political allegiances of senior civil servants were well known in the house.

When I joined in 1976 as an Administrative Officer ( the fast stream route where an Honours degree was a minimum requirement) I joined with Graduates in History, Psychology, Geography etc. I was Philosophy. DPS was HR for the Civil Service , linked to the Civil Service Commission, etc. etc.

Key problems then: (1)Top down micro management (2) Obsequiousnes and an inability of civil servants at the top to say NO (3) Let it leak that you were FF and let the hare sit..........one day a reward would come (4) Never cross a "Special Adviser" (5) Protocol and respect for hierarchy trumps substance (6) Don't take risks. Doing nothing you get promoted anyway, time servers, doing one thing wrong and you were marked (7) Be one of the boys and slap backs and you will get on.

So here i am 25 years later and just retired from the UN. Has much changed in the Irish civil service?
e.g (1) Do they have a transparent performance management system ( 360 degrees) ? (2) Are Special Advisers still running the spin and indirectly the show? (3) Do senior civil servants conviently leak their party affiliations? (4) Does i help to have a pint in the right pub at the right time? (6) Are there still many time serving staff members? (7) What have senior civil servants added to their Honors History or Philosophy degrees they entered with to match competencies to job requirements?

If anyone is interested I will do a free HR consultancy on this and submit my findings to an independent Committee? CV and referees available on request

Any takers?

Patrick Hennessy
Bangkok"

The cuts under Ray McSharry were blamed in part for lack of proper staffing in the DoF on the Marian Finucane programme this morning.

The same applied for both Civil Service and Local Government - the easy road was for the time serving generalist who didn't rock the boat.


"

The Department of Finance strategy was launched this morning by its new head, who previously ran a juice bar in France.

http://www.finance.gov.ie/documents/...ratstateng.pdf

[C. Flower]

[quote][quote]

great comment in yesterday's irish times: Responding to eddie molloy's opinion piece on reform of the department of finance

[url="http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/opinion/2010/0626/1224273355121.html[/url]

i worked in the dps ( department of public service) years ago under ray mc sharry a department which was brought out from under dof and then brought in again. I think i was the youngest assistant principal in the dps in 1980 and worked alongside colleagues who subsequently went on to become secretary of government departments and central bank governors. I left in 1982 to the eu and then the un. What i observed then was a new phenemon of the "special advisor" which grew into that powerful species between ministers and departments and were in effect the spin masters of ministers. Given that the govt. Was nearly always ff and ministers and special advisors just rotated around ministries for decades senior civil servants became obsequious, to both ministers and spin master advisors.

Senior civil servants with a good ability to "hold their pint" and spend at least two or three late evenings around killdare street and the green mixing with the boys from the dail. Political allegiances of senior civil servants were well known in the house.

When i joined in 1976 as an administrative officer ( the fast stream route where an honours degree was a minimum requirement) i joined with graduates in history, psychology, geography etc. I was philosophy. Dps was hr for the civil service , linked to the civil service commission, etc. Etc.

Key problems then: (1)top down micro management (2) obsequiousnes and an inability of civil servants at the top to say no (3) let it leak that you were ff and let the hare sit..........one day a reward would come (4) never cross a "special adviser" (5) protocol and respect for hierarchy trumps substance (6) don't take risks. Doing nothing you get promoted anyway, time servers, doing one thing wrong and you were marked (7) be one of the boys and slap backs and you will get on.

So here i am 25 years later and just retired from the un. Has much changed in the irish civil service?
E.g (1) do they have a transparent performance management system ( 360 degrees) ? (2) are special advisers still running the spin and indirectly the show? (3) do senior civil servants conviently leak their party affiliations? (4) does i help to have a pint in the right pub at the right time? (6) are there still many time serving staff members? (7) what have senior civil servants added to their honors history or philosophy degrees they entered with to match competencies to job requirements?

If anyone is interested i will do a free hr consultancy on this and submit my findings to an independent committee? Cv and referees available on request

any takers?

Patrick hennessy
bangkok"

the cuts under ray mcsharry were blamed in part for lack of proper staffing in the dof on the marian finucane programme this morning.

The same applied for both civil service and local government - the easy road was for the time serving generalist who didn't rock the boat.

The Department of Finance strategy was launched this morning by its new head, who previously ran a juice bar in france. I wonder will the Strategy change the culture described by Patrick Hennessey.

http://www.finance.gov.ie/documents/...ratstateng.pdf