Statement of Strategy 2005 - 2007

Introduction by Secretary General

Ireland faces great opportunities and challenges over the coming years. The successes of recent years, the rapid growth in our economy, the unprecedented growth in our labour force and the unparalleled decline in our unemployment rate has propelled Ireland beyond many of our competitor nations. Now, we must maintain and build on that success. This Department has a key role to play in continuing to grow as a nation, and in safeguarding our future prosperity.

As a key economic Department, working with our statutory agencies and offices, we are in a position to influence our national performance very positively. This strategy statement directs our work over the next three years in all areas under our charge, from employment rights to consumer rights, from competition policy to enterprise policy, from science, technology and innovation to the development of our labour market. It examines our operating environment in detail, including the threats to our success, and based on our assessment of where we currently are and of where we want to be, we set out our path to achieve our mission. Flowing from our mission statement, this strategy identifies our key priorities, our goals and objectives, the strategic actions we intend to take to achieve those goals, and the indicators by which we will measure our success.

We are keenly aware of our responsibilities for delivering the best possible service to Government, the business community and citizens. We strive for constant improvements in our policies and our practices. We have a tradition of embracing change, and driving our ambitions for continual strengthening of our abilities. In this Department, we set the highest standards for our work, in the belief that it is only in aspiring to excellence that we have an opportunity to achieve excellence. We have consistently risen to the challenge in the past, and we will continue to do so. We are faced with critical and vital opportunities, internal and external, including the efforts required of us to realise the Lisbon goals, further strengthen our national competitiveness and to meet the demands for better regulation and continuing modernisation. We also face the challenge of decentralising about 300 Departmental posts to Carlow in a way that minimizes disruption to business continuity and within a framework which places people at the heart of the process.

Our strategy is set out under four pillars. The four pillars reflect the key strategic functions of the Department: enterprise, innovation, quality work, better regulation and excellent customer services.

In order to fully achieve our mission,the Department interacts with a number of stakeholders, including Social Partners, other Government Departments and Agencies, the voluntary sector and a wide range of international bodies. Our success will depend on our ability to work collaboratively to achieve overarching and cross-functional goals. Developing and deepening those links with stakeholders is a challenge and an opportunity for the Department. Our work is very significantly influenced by the European Union. Changes in the composition of the Union, and developments in the wider Union, will affect the way we work into the future.

As an organisation we continue to develop our abilities and our skills. For the third year in a row the Department has been listed among the 50 best companies to work for in Ireland. The award, based on a survey of employees in the Department and on the Department's culture and its HR policies, recognises excellence in workplaces, and puts the Department squarely at the forefront of public service employers. Our advancement of the change management agenda - through development of our people, the change from personnel management to a more strategic Human Resources management, improved Financial Management and ICT systems, and our regulatory reform initiatives, to name but a few - are indicative of our drive and pursuit of excellence in our internal systems. They are geared to one overriding ambition - to provide the highest quality customer service possible.

Delivery on our commitments in this statement of strategy is essential to growing our national prosperity. I have full confidence that the staff of the Department will readily meet this challenge.

S.Gorman