Today I expressed my concern at the widespread perception among civil servants that their work was not valued by the public. Responding to yesterday’s publication of the Civil Service Employee Engagement Survey, which found that just 15% of civil servants believed the public valued their work, and warned that this could have a “corrosive effect” on staff morale and public service delivery.
The closure of Stepaside Garda station – one of 139 stations to close on foot of An Garda Síochána’s 2013 policing review – was regrettable.
Speaking at the launch of the 2016 Better Energy Communities grant scheme, which will distribute €20 million to community-based energy efficiency projects this year, I outlined that better-than-expected public finances will allow the Government to review its capital plan earlier than the proposed 2017. Large-scale capital investment is essential in energy efficiency, renewable energy and green transport.
I visited St John of God in Stillorgan last week (Friday 8th January) to congratulate staff and management on their energy efficiency programme, which cut the hospital’s energy bills by almost a fifth last year.
