Ministers pledge 'accountable and effective' administration

Stormont's First Minister David Trimble and Deputy First Minister Mark Durkan have pledged a "modern, accountable and effective system of public administration".

During a major debate in the Assembly further details of the Review of Public Administration were announced as the Assembly considered proposals for the terms of reference of the Review, which is due to be launched in the spring, as part of a limited pre-consultation process.

Opening the debate, Mr Trimble said: "This is an opportunity of a generation to put in place a modern, accountable, effective system of public administration which can deliver a high quality set of public services to our citizens.

Seeking to silence critics who called for an independent body to lead the review, the First Minister said: "Given that this Review has the potential to shape the future governance of Northern Ireland for years to come, it is essential that there is a political input at every stage of the process. For that reason, the Executive needs to lead the Review and decide its outcome."

Pledging a "strong independent element" throughout the review process, Mr Trimble said it would be a "huge irony" if an unelected body were to examine the appropriateness of other unelected bodies.

Closing the debate, the Deputy First Minster, Mark Durkan said there would be no shirking of responsibility and that there would be a "rigorous examination of all the issues and options".

He said: "Our objective is to create the best possible system of public administration. It is not about cutting jobs or rationalisation of the public sector. It is about the delivery of public services and the legacy we want to leave to future generations."

The Executive is in the process of identifying and appointing a small number of high-level independent experts. The Review team will be broadly based, involving officials from local government and the wider public sector working alongside civil servants.

Sinn Fein Chief Whip Alex Maskey was quick to reject what he said was the "spin" being put on the review. He said the explanation of why there was to be a three-year delay was "unsatisfactory".

(SP)