Initiatives

Initiative Measures of progress
Baseline the current innovation culture of the public service and barriers to innovation In December 2018, the Public Service Leadership Board received the final report and recommendations of a report commissioned under the Structural Reform Support Programme (SRSP) of the European Commission. The Report examined the current state of innovation in Ireland’s public service against a set of international comparators. The research found that the perceived level of innovation maturity for Ireland’s public service was low.

The report’s authors advocated for a suite of measures that Ireland’s public service leadership should implement in order to become a world-leader in public service innovation. The report also outlined barriers and enablers to be considered in driving a culture of innovation in the Irish public service. This baseline provides for the development of an innovation strategy and innovation actions going forward. A number of recommendations are being implemented including the initiatives below.

A copy of the SRSS Report is available here.
Declaration on public service innovation A Declaration on Public Service Innovation was developed by Action 6 Team and approved by the Public Service Leadership Board in March 2019. The next phase involves communicating the declaration to all public service bodies in Ireland and asking them to sign up to its principles.
Establish an Irish Public Service Innovation Network and a Public Service Innovation Academy Following on from research undertaken, the recommendation of the Action 6 Team is to create an ‘Innovation Culture Network‘. The purpose of the network will be to support the development of a culture of innovation across the public service. Its membership and accessibility will be wide ranging. Its focus will be on communicating key innovation messages, sharing best practice and building enthusiasm for innovation across the public service. The network can also form a mechanism to build skills in innovation and provide tools and resources to members. The network will be launched later in 2019.
Identify and invest in innovation skills and skills gaps The Action 6 Team began an innovation skills mapping exercise to determine what interventions are currently available to public servants in the general discipline of innovation. A report on this mapping exercise will be completed in the second half of 2019. The Reform and Delivery Office is currently engaging with providers to roll out innovation courses in public service innovation in Autumn 2019 in addition to scoping out the possibility of an accredited diploma in public service innovation in 2020.
Establish a dedicated fund to support public sector innovation The new Public Service Innovation Fund was launched in May 2019.

136 applications were received from organisations across the public service amounting to an overall funding request of €6.9 million. Successful applicants were announced in August 2019.

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