Publications for 1999
Opportunities, Challenges and Capacities for Choice
The 1999 NESC Strategy exercise comes at the end of a five-year period of robust economic and employment growth that has greatly changed popular perceptions and expectations in Ireland. This contrasts strongly with the dire economic conditions that confronted the social partners in 1986 when the first Strategy document was produced by the Council. Unwelcome as those conditions were they stimulated agreement on a broad basis on difficult economic and social priorities based on a shared analysis of our situation, of the options available and their consequences. In addition, they inspired a shared goal of a society that would achieve a level of economic and monetary stability that would secure employment growth and would allow participation in European Monetary Union. This goal and the associated strategy provided the consistent framework for action that yielded success.
The Internet is going to have a major impact on how Government business is conducted. We need to start planning and providing for this now. In the Internet age, Government websites will become the gateways for people to conduct their business with Government and a central feature of public service delivery.
Issue No. 12
As Reviewed by Fianna Fáil and the Progressive Democrats in Government
Abortion is an issue which has been the subject of intense and, indeed, divisive debate in practically every society. Over the past fifteen years or so, this debate has been particularly intense and divisive in this country.
The First Report of the Inter-Departmental Implementation Group on the Information Society was considered by Government on 21 December, 1998. Following this, "Implementing the Information Society in Ireland: an Action Plan" was launched by the Taoiseach in January 1999, in booklet format and on the world wide web. Since then almost 2,000 copies of the booklet have been distributed, within and beyond the public sector.
The Newsletter of the Strategic Management Initiative
This is the Report of the Strategic Management Initiative (SMI) Working Group on Regulatory Reform. Regulatory Reform - known more colloquially as "cutting red tape" - is an important part of the programme of change in which the Irish Civil Service is currently engaged. Having the right amount of regulation in an economy is an important contributor to economic growth, competitiveness and job creation. For these reasons, it is a key objective of national policy.
Report of the SMI Working Group on Financial Management to the SMI Implementation Group