The report highlights the numerous initiatives underway in areas falling under the three pillars of Ireland’s framework for policy development. While there is currently no single model or vision for policy development in Ireland, a number of strategies guide and frame the Irish vision for policy development in the civil service and in the public sector more broadly.
Policy development relies on the availability and use of relevant evidence and data. Ireland has demonstrated significant progress in using evidence and data for policy development at the department and agency levels. The Irish Government Economic and Evaluation Service (IGEES) and the Irish Government Statistical Service (IGSS), for example, are key elements of the strategic policy infrastructure. Strategic foresight is being incorporated into policy analysis in a more sustained way. Links between researchers and policymakers are being forged through the establishment of a Civil Service Research Network. However, Ireland’s public administration could benefit from stronger attention to data-based reform initiatives. Developing data-sharing networks through external partnerships and strengthening data skills across the civil service would allow Ireland to harness the potential of both data and evidence-based decision making. Furthermore, there is a clear, growing appetite for strategic foresight in Ireland that underscores the civil service’s ambition to strengthen strategic policy discussions.
The quality and impact of policy advice and decisions are determined by how effectively they are implemented. A number of good practices have emerged in Ireland to reflect implementation in the policy development process and help make policies easier to implement, such as co-designing policy with civil servants charged with implementing; integrating implementation criteria, monitoring practices and feedback loops into policy design; and using insights from policy evaluations, pilot projects and behavioural evidence. In the area of feasibility, the government is helping public organisations provide user-centred services by sharing design principles. A Programme for Government commitment will create Strategic Policy Units across Departments to ensure data insights influence policy decisions. The Irish civil service has recognised the importance of programme and project management skills for policy delivery, but still struggles with conducting impact assessments across policy sectors and departments and modelling impacts across different policy dimensions. Implementation can also be supported by collaboration among departments to ensure feasibility is considered at the design stage. While there are numerous examples of good practices, the culture of collaboration across departments could be strengthened, particularly to increase cross-departmental communication, visibility, and the consideration of the impacts proposals might have in other policy areas.
The legitimacy of public policy is also grounded in the support that a government has from stakeholders and citizens. The nexus between the civil service and political actors in relation to policy development has become increasingly challenging to navigate, given the 24h news cycle and increased stakeholder engagement. The legitimacy of policies – whether they reflect the public interest -- has been under increased scrutiny in Ireland. The Government Information Service has played a pivotal role in public communication around key government priorities and has earned a reputation as a trusted source of public information. Work is underway to clarify the role of the civil service in policy development and it is recognised that it is timely to review how public engagement is conducted across departments to improve consistency. However, additional training and support in public engagement and communication is needed across the civil service, as well as standardised guidance and rules of engagement among politicians, political advisors and civil servants.
