introduction to civil service essentials: an analysis of

Copyright © Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, 2021

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Introduction to Civil Service Essentials | An Analysis of DCEDIY Staff Feedback on Course Content

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The work that the Department’s Research and Evaluation Unit (REU) put into supporting the Learning and Development Unit in creating a course to support all new colleagues will prove invaluable. The research as well as the analysis of the data, will help shape the course to ensure it is relevant and valuable to participants. Thus ensuring that those attending the course will have the best resources and support to enable them to work towards delivering on the Department’s mission and vision for its public, while also ensuring good use of public funds. The REU team’s expertise, attention to detail, adherence to methodologies, careful analysis, and interest in the topic itself really shone through. I’m delighted with the work that the REU team have put in and am grateful for the support - both for the L&D team but also how this will go on to support many more colleagues who come to the Department.

Aisling O’Leary Assistant Principal

DCEDIY Learning and Development Unit


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Contents

1. Background and methodology ............................................................................................................................... 1

2. Key findings ................................................................................................................................................................ 2

3. Respondent Demographics ..................................................................................................................................... 5

4. Results .......................................................................................................................................................................... 6

(a) Your views on the course as a whole .............................................................................................................. 6

Q1. Having read the course outline, what topic areas are new to you? ......................................................... 6

Q2. Are there topic areas for which you think there is too much information? ............................................ 7

Q3. Are there topic areas for which there is too little information? ............................................................... 8

(b) You as a Civil Servant .......................................................................................................................................... 9

Q4. Thinking back to when you first joined the Civil Service, which of following would you have found most helpful, and why? ....................................................................................................................... 9

Q5. Bearing in mind that this will be a short high-level introduction to the Civil Service, are there topic areas that aren't included, but that you would recommend be added to the course?............. 10

Q6. Are there any Civil Service terms that you've heard of that you would want to know more about? What are these?............................................................................................................................... 12

(c) New people joining the Civil Service ............................................................................................................. 13

Q7. Thinking of new people joining the civil service, what topics on the course do you think would be most helpful and why? ............................................................................................................................ 13

Q8. Thinking of a person first joining the Civil Service, is there anything else you would like to see included in the course? ................................................................................................................................ 14

(d) Staff Managers (Past and Present) ................................................................................................................. 16

Q9. If applicable - thinking of staff you manage currently, or have managed in the past, what particular topics on the course would have been of most benefit to them, and why? ...................... 16

Q10. With your staff, (current or previous), in mind, what else would you recommend be included on the course? ............................................................................................................................................. 17

(e) Case study ............................................................................................................................................................ 19

Q11: We will be looking to include a case study. We’ll look at an example of the democratic process at work in our department, for example a project, piece of legislation or report that touches on the modules of this course (e.g. interaction with the Dáil/Minister, PQs, press/citizen engagement) - would any pieces of departmental work come to mind for you that we could consider? ............................................................................................................................ 19

(f) Participating in the New Course ..................................................................................................................... 20

Q12. We are looking for potential colleagues to take part in this course - would you be open to the L&D unit contacting you about taking part? Or, if you're a manager, is there someone you think would benefit from this course? ..................................................................................................... 20

(g) Additional feedback ........................................................................................................................................... 20

Q13. Is there anything else that comes to mind, or do you have any other feedback on the course? .... 20


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1. Background and methodology This report was prepared by the Research and Evaluation Unit (REU) to inform the

development of the upcoming course, ‘Introduction to the Civil Service’, which will be

delivered by the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth

(DCEDIY) Learning and Development Unit (L&D Unit), in collaboration with the

Institute of Public Administration (IPA). The course focuses on the role of the Civil

Service within the democratic process, and aims to provide a learning resource for

both new and existing Civil Servants.

A request for volunteers to provide feedback on the proposed course content was

emailed by the L&D unit to all DCEDIY staff members on 21 July 2021. The email

sought volunteers from all grades and levels of experience to review a draft outline of

the proposed course content, and share their thoughts with a member of the REU

during a 10-15 minute interview. A total of 24 staff members volunteered to

participate in the interviews, 18 of whom were chosen to be interviewed. The

selection of interview participants was based on staff availability during the interview

period, as well as the participant grade and policy area, in order to ensure that the

results presented in this report would represent as wide a range of grades and

DCEDIY business areas as possible.

Three members of the REU conducted phone interviews with 18 DCEDIY staff

members between the 9th and 16th August 2021, representing 18 different units

across each of the Department’s seven divisions. Interviewees were asked 12

demographic questions and 13 questions relating to course content. Answers

represented a mix of closed-ended and open-ended questions. All closed-ended

questions were quantitatively analysed using Microsoft Excel software, and

responses to open-ended questions analysed qualitatively using thematic analysis.

The thematic analysis was conducted according to the six-step process outlined by

Maguire and Delahunt (2017):

1. Familiarisation (reading the survey responses in full)

2. Coding (re-reading the survey responses and assigning codes according to emergent themes)


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3. Generating themes (developing a list of themes)

4. Reviewing themes (re-reading the responses and removing overlapping themes, redefining themes and identifying items not captured)

5. Defining the themes

6. Write-up.

The analysis was inductive in nature, with themes emerging from multiple readings

and through discussion across the research team. The team discussed and cross-

checked each team member’s coding and emergent themes, before agreeing on the

final list of overarching themes. A total of six overarching themes were identified,

which capture the most common comments and recommendations emerging over the

course of the 18 interviews.

An overview of the six themes is presented in the Key Findings section below. This is

followed by the Results section, which details the interview responses as per the

questions asked.

2. Key findings Theme 1: Grades and Organization Structure

Several respondents commented that they would like to see an explanation of the

hierarchical structure of the Civil Service, including the grade system, and the roles of

the different grades. On this topic, one respondent requested information on how

someone advances up the Civil Service hierarchy during their career. Another

respondent mentioned a need to clarify expectations of an individual based on their

role and grade, and what the individual might expect in return from the Department.

Department-specific information was also identified as a beneficial topic area for

course participants, such as the inclusion of an overview of the Department’s

objectives. This could also include an overview of the work of individual Units and

Divisions, so that course participants will understand where their work fits into the

overall Department objectives.


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Theme 2: Target Audience

According to respondents, grade and place within the organisation structure could

also influence the extent to which participants might benefit from the course. Across

respondents’ answers to all questions was a belief that the benefit and relevance of

the course could vary according to grade and Unit with some interviewees suggesting

that interactions with the Minister and Dáil may not be as relevant to participants in

more junior grades. Participants also suggested that there were topics missing (or

lacking detail) that could be of more benefit to them, such as interacting with clients.

There was a strong emphasis on learning more about the Parliamentary Question

(PQ) process. Two respondents also commented that the information included in the

course was not relevant to the work of their Unit, with one mentioning topics such as

procurement and financial proceedings as being more relevant to their own Unit (and

possibly others).

Theme 3: Interacting with External Stakeholders

Another topic that some respondents thought could be included in the course was

the process of communicating and collaborating with external stakeholders. In

particular, respondents mentioned the importance of understanding how to work

with European Union (EU) institutions like the Council of Europe, attending working

groups, and giving feedback on EU legislation. Also mentioned was how Civil Servants

communicate and collaborate with other external stakeholders such as NGOs, lobby

groups, policy experts, Embassies, and the United Nations.

Theme 4: Legislation and Regulation

The topic of legislation and regulation arose repeatedly in respondents’ answers

concerning what should be added to the course. Several respondents commented

that they would like for course participants to learn about a) how legislation and

policy is produced, b) which pieces of legislation and regulations impact on the work

of Civil Servants in general (e.g. data protection), and c) key legislation and regulation

relevant to the work of their Units. Generally, respondents suggested a number of

pieces of legislation, regulation and case law that staff within the Civil Service

frequently come into contact with, and should therefore be included in the course


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content. These included the Official Secrets Act, the Civil Service Code of Conduct,

the Carltona doctrine, GDPR, and the Freedom of Information Act.

Freedom of Information (FOI) requests were of particular concern for a number of

respondents, who suggested that the course cover how FOI requests work, and what

can be requested (e.g. staff emails). One respondent also wished for information

regarding the judiciary and Judicial Reviews to be added to the course, while another

commented that they wished to learn more about ‘legal jargon’. The overall sentiment

concerning legislation and regulation was that course participants should learn how

this topic area intersects with their work.

Theme 5: Practical Guidance

Almost every respondent recommended that the course contain some form of

practical guidance for participants. Some respondents expressed this more generally

than others - for instance, two respondents described some areas of the course as

being ‘too abstract’ or ‘academic’ - while most others made explicit requests for

guidance in the form of templates, help sheets, style guides, and other mediums. The

subjects that respondents requested guidance on were answering PQs, writing

minutes of meetings, memos, briefings, as well as risk management procedures.

Practical guidance on PQs was by far the biggest concern for respondents; 11/18

referred to the need for information on PQs within the course, with multiple

respondents emphasising this throughout their interview. Several respondents

recommended including practical guidance on PQs due to it being the topic most

relevant to their day-to-day work. Furthermore, respondents described PQs as being

a topic relevant to all grade levels, but which would be of particular interest to

Clerical and Executive Officers.

Theme 6: Civil Service Acronyms and Terms

The majority of respondents (11/18) could not name a term that may require more

detailed explanation. However, two mentioned commonly used acronyms such as AG,

and CSSO, with one commenting that it would be useful to have a page of acronyms

and terms for various committees e.g. explaining the difference between JOC and

Select Committee. One respondent mentioned a need to understand legal terms such


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as Statutory Instruments (SIs), while another mentioned a need to better understand

terms relating to financial management such as the ‘estimates process', 'returns',

'profiles', with another mentioning 'risk management'.

One respondent highlighted the difference between PQs and LQs. Another was

familiar with everything in the course outline, other than 'PNQ'. One respondent

commented that 'adjournment debates' may now be called 'commencement debates',

while another suggested that a clear explanation be provided of the differences

between (and functions of) e-correspondence, Reps and memos.

3. Respondent Demographics

Gender Age

Male Female 18-30 31-45 46-66 66+

4 14 1 10 7 0

0-1 year 2-3 years 4-5 years 6-10 years 11-15 years 16+ years

Time in Civil Service 5 1 4 3 1 4

Time in Department 10 1 5 2 0 0

CO EO HEO AO AP PO None

Current Grades 1 5 0 3 7 2 0

Former Grades1 5 7 4 4 2 0 7

1 Note: if respondents previously worked as, for example both HEO and AP, they will be included in each box


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Manage Staff Currently/Previously*

Yes No

12 6

*Number of staff managed ranged from one to 25 with most managing six or fewer.

4. Results

(a) Your views on the course as a whole

Q1. Having read the course outline, what topic areas are new to you?

Topic Area No. of respondents Topic Area No. of respondents

1. Framework of Irish Government 1 7. Interacting with the

Dáil 1

2. The Dáil 1 8. Interacting with PQs 1

3. Government and Cabinet 2 9. Dáil Debates 2

4. Minister and Civil Servant 2 10. Dáil Parliamentary

Committees 1

5. Interacting with Citizens 1 None 10

6. Interacting with Government on

behalf of Minister 2 All 2

When answering this question, the majority of respondents (10/18) felt that none of

the 10 topics covered on the course were new to them. This was particularly true

among those who had more than 5 years of experience in the Civil Service, and those

of grade level AP and above. Some of these 10 respondents mentioned that although

no topic was new, they were unaware of specific details outlined within the topic

areas. Two respondents specifically mentioned module 3 (Government and Cabinet);


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two commented on module 4 (Minister and Civil Servant); two discussed module 6

(Interacting with the Government on behalf of Minister); two highlighted module 9

(Dáil debates), and two said that some details within all of the topic areas were new

to them.

Q2. Are there topic areas for which you think there is too much information?



Dáil 0




Committees 1


6. Interacting with Government on behalf

of Minister 0 All 0

Almost all respondents (16/18) felt there were no topics for which there was too

much information in the draft course outline. This was particularly true among those

who had more than 5 years of experience in the Civil Service, and those of grade level

AP and above (neither of the 2 respondents who identified specific modules was in

this category). However, one respondent suggested that the information covered in

module 5 (Interacting with citizens) does not fit in to their own day-to-day work,

while another commented that modules 9 and 10 may be too abstract, and that

learning for these should be more scenario-based. Among those who felt there were

no topics for which there is too much information, three mentioned that this would

depend on the grade of the course participant, with two commenting that more

detailed information might be needed for staff at more senior grades. One


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respondent noted that there was a lot of information on how senior grades interact

with the Minister and Dáil, but not on how more junior grades interact with clients.

Another respondent commented that because of the high level of detail, the course

should be delivered over a week, or even over the course of a month.

Q3. Are there topic areas for which there is too little information?



Dáil 1




Committees 2



of Minister 1 All 0

When asked if there were any topic areas for which there is too little information,

half (9/18) responded that none had too little information. There were no significant

differences between grades and years of experience in the Civil Service in terms of

how this question was answered. Three respondents mentioned that module 8

(Interacting with Parliamentary Questions) could benefit from more information, with

two commenting on the need for more guidance on how to answer PQs, such as a

template, style guide, help sheet or checklist. One mentioned the need for a manual

outlining the different types of PQs, commenting that the cabinet handbook is not

‘user friendly’, and commented that staff preparing PQs need to get more feedback

on their work so that they know how to tailor their responses to suit different needs.

Another respondent noted that more information on Standing Orders that apply to


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PQs would be very useful, including responses, disallowances, courtesy principle, etc.

Two respondents mentioned the need for more information on Module 10 (Dáil

Parliamentary Committees); two recommended adding more information on Module

2 (the Dáil), and two mentioned the need for more information on Module 1

(Framework of Irish Democratic Government). Another respondent recommended

adding more information on the public good and on the public nature of decision-

making, as well as on the Judicial Review process.

(b) You as a Civil Servant

Q4. Thinking back to when you first joined the Civil Service, which of following

would you have found most helpful, and why?



Dáil 4




Committees 0



of Minister 6 All 4

When thinking of when they first joined the Civil Service, half of the respondents

(9/18) felt that module 8 (Interacting with Parliamentary Questions) would be most

helpful, six of whom were of grade level AP and above. Four of the nine respondents

commented that this is the topic area they work on most frequently, and typically

involves staff at all levels. One mentioned that they sense a bit of urgency around


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answering PQs and that this module would help them to better understand how to

provide the required information within the stated timeframe. This respondent also

commented that a case study on this topic would be very helpful. Six respondents

mentioned module 5 (Interacting with Citizens), three of whom were of grade level

AP and above, with one highlighting that this can be a sensitive area of their work. Six

respondents mentioned module 6 (Interacting with the Government on behalf of

Minister), four of whom were of grade level AP and above. One of these six

respondents’ highlighted memos for government as an unfamiliar area, and another

commented that knowledge of memo writing is often assumed, but not explicitly

taught.

Four respondents, with a mixture of grade levels and years of experience, mentioned

module 7 (Interacting with the Dáil), with one commenting that the formalities that

more experienced Civil Servants are aware of can be difficult to pick up initially, and

reported that it is difficult to know what the expectations are of new civil servants.

Four respondents, with a mixture of grade levels and years of experience, mentioned

module 4 (Minister and Civil Servant), and another four with a mixture of grade levels

and years of experience, mentioned all modules. Three respondents mentioned

module 1 (Framework of Irish Government) with one commenting that the ‘first

principles’ section of module 1 is important for new entrants, so that they can

understand where their work fits into the wider picture, with another commenting

that new entrants don’t always understand the basics of the Civil Service and what

civil servants do. Two respondents mentioned module 2 (the Dáil), and two

mentioned module 3 (Government and the cabinet), with one commenting on the

need for all staff to be taught about these as important factors that determine where

their work fits within a broader context.

Q5. Bearing in mind that this will be a short high-level introduction to the Civil

Service, are there topic areas that aren't included, but that you would recommend

be added to the course?


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Civil service wide topics

Four respondents, each of whom had less than five years of experience in the civil

service, commented that the course covered all of the necessary information. Two

respondents with less than five years of experience requested an explanation of the

grade structure. Two respondents mentioned the need for more information on

interacting with international organisations such as the UN, the EU council and

working groups, Embassies, etc. One mentioned that it would be useful to include

detail on providing official feedback on proposed EU legislation, and attending EU

working group meetings. However, this should be at an introductory level, as most

civil servants will be dealing with this at some stage, but may not need a high level of

detail to begin with. One respondent requested that more information be provided on

the relationship between government and society, including the role of government

and the Civil Service in maintaining social cohesion.

One respondent commented that the course could include information on what the

Civil Service has to do during an adjournment debate. Another respondent

highlighted the need for more information on public accounting. One respondent

noted that it would be useful to include key principles relating to ‘The File’, to include

documenting decisions, processing requests for observations, and why this matters

for FOI requests, discovery orders, and summonses. One respondent focused on the

topic of FOI requests in this regard, and how staff need to know what is open to FOI

requests.

Two respondents (both at grade level AP or higher) mentioned that it would be useful

to look at the Judicial Review (JR) process, particularly what to do when the

Department loses a JR. One respondent mentioned data protection, and how it

applies to the work of all civil servants. Another respondent recommended

emphasising the Civil Service Code of Conduct and Official Secrets Act.

For Module 1 (institutional framework), one respondent recommended that reference

is made to the structure of the Dáil and the election process. For module 8 on PQs,

one respondent mentioned the need to include a refresher on the relevant Standing

Order.


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One respondent commented that the topics included in the draft course content

relate mostly to parliamentary affairs, and that this only partly represents the work of

the Civil Service. This respondent recommended the inclusion of topics such as

‘cross-government collaboration’ and ‘grant administration’.

Individual/Department-Specific Topics

Two respondents mentioned the need for more Department-specific information.

One requested an explanation of where Civil Service department buildings are

physically based, and an organisational chart showing where people are physically

sitting when working in-office (if feasible) so as to make it easier to identify who is

who.

One respondent requested more information on how organisational decisions are

made and how a course of action is decided. Another requested more information

about where an individual staff member fits into the larger picture in terms of the

Department’s Statement of Strategy, business planning process, risk register,

performance management, and learning and development. The latter included a

request for more information on staff training and how Civil Servants may advance

their careers. Another respondent suggested a need for more training on the work

required in specific policy areas, and commented that the course topics are ‘quite

academic… good to know, but not necessarily impacting on day to day work’.

One respondent mentioned the topic of personal care related to dealing with difficult

subject matter, and how to exercise self-care when dealing with traumatic subject

matters, or traumatised individuals. Another requested information on how to

manage difficult interactions e.g. hostile correspondence and phone calls, as well as

high-volume correspondents, which could be included under module 5.

Q6. Are there any Civil Service terms that you've heard of that you would want to

know more about? What are these?

The majority of respondents (11/18) could not name a term that required more

detailed explanation. Seven of those respondents were of grade level AP and above.

However, two mentioned commonly used acronyms (e.g. AG, CSSO), with one


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commenting that it would be useful to have a page of acronyms and terms used for

various committees, for example outlining the difference between Joint Oireachtas

Committees (JOCs) and Select Committees. One respondent suggested providing

information on ‘legal jargon’, particularly in relation to statutory instruments (SIs), and

one mentioned jargon used for finance.

One mentioned FOI requests, while another mentioned the difference between PQs

and LQs. One was familiar with everything in the course outline other than 'PNQ'.

One respondent commented that 'adjournment debates' may now be called

'commencement debates'. Another mentioned the ‘Estimates process', 'returns',

'profiles', as well as 'risk management'. One respondent mentioned the differences

between, and the functions of, e-correspondence, ‘reps’ and memos.

(c) New people joining the Civil Service

Q7. Thinking of new people joining the civil service, what topics on the course do

you think would be most helpful and why?



Dáil 3




Committees 0



of Minister 3 All 6


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When thinking of new people joining the Civil Service, seven respondents (five of

whom were of grade level AP and above) suggested that the most helpful topic areas

would be module 8. Seven respondents across a range of grade levels and years of

experience suggested module 4, and six respondents across a range of grade levels

and years of experience suggested module 5. Six respondents mentioned that all

topics would be useful, four of whom were of grade level AP or above. Five

respondents across a range of grade levels and years of experience suggested module

1. Three respondents suggested module 6, while three suggested module 7, each of

whom were of grade level AP or above. One respondent highlighted FOI requests

(covered across modules), with another specifically highlighting any modules that

touch on process-related information, such as PQs, and the drafting of memos.

Two respondents suggested that the relative importance of individual modules will

depend on staff role and grade, as people new to the civil service at more senior

grades will need more information than those coming in at more junior levels. One of

those respondents suggested that it would be important for new staff to understand

where the Department fits in with the wider Civil Service. Another respondent

suggested that the relative importance of modules would depend on which area of

the Civil Service an individual works in, with those working in policy Units needing to

understand all of the information on the course. Another respondent described the

course outline as misleading, as it might give the impression that the course outlines

everything that the Civil Service does. They commented that knowing how the Dáil

works may not be necessary to the day-to-day work of a civil servant.

Q8. Thinking of a person first joining the Civil Service, is there anything else you

would like to see included in the course?

Civil Service-Wide Topics

When answering this question, three respondents (all of whom had less than 5 years

of experience in the Civil Service) mentioned the need for an overview of FOI

requests, two requested more information on data protection laws e.g. GDPR and

how it impacts on day to day work, while two recommended the addition of anything

to do with dealing with the Judiciary and Judicial Reviews (JRs), such as the


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prosecution of offences. One respondent recommended providing more information

on how to develop legislation, and on how government and the Civil Service interact

to produce policies and strategies. One respondent recommended including detail on

the Code of Conduct and Official Secrets Act, while another mentioned dealing with

the EU institutions e.g. attending a working group, and providing official feedback on

a piece of legislation (e.g. as part of EU legislative scrutiny).

Two respondents with less than five years of experience in the civil service

recommended including an overview of the Civil Service grades and hierarchy. One

respondent suggested the need for an organisational chart showing the separation

between executive and ministerial functions. One respondent recommended detail be

provided on e-Correspondence, financial procedures, budgets, submissions,

consultations, developing legislation, and Government Circulars. Another respondent

commented on risk management, i.e., what to do when things go wrong, how to react,

and how to prevent the same mistakes from happening again.


When answering this question, four respondents across a range of grade levels and

years of experience suggested adding more Department-specific information, with

one recommending the inclusion of an overview/high level summary of the role that

each Division/Unit plays within the wider system. Another respondent requested that

information be included on how one’s individual role fits into the Department, as well

the expectations from the Department in relation to their Unit and grade. Another

respondent requested the inclusion of more informal knowledge such as the cultural

characteristics of different policy areas and government Departments. One

respondent requested that practical information be provided about employee

schemes that are available, such as travel passes.


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(d) Staff Managers (Past and Present)

Q9. If applicable - thinking of staff you manage currently, or have managed in the

past, what particular topics on the course would have been of most benefit to them,

and why?



Dáil 3




Committees 0



of Minister 0 All 2

When answering this question, the majority of those that have managed staff (10/12)

mentioned that module 8 (‘interacting with PQs’) would have been most helpful,

seven of whom had more than five years of experience in the Civil Service. Two

respondents commented that it is a common role for staff at more junior grades, with

another commenting that it would be relevant for all grade levels. One respondent

suggested that this module would be most relevant for newer staff. One respondent

suggested that this topic area would be relevant for staff in all policy areas, with

another commenting that their current staff often work on PQs. One respondent felt

there is a need for their staff to review previous PQs, and to see what answers were

given as this would give them an insight into Department policy, thereby informing

future answers. Two respondents suggested that learning how to deal with

Ministerial Representations (Reps) would be beneficial.


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Five respondents discussed module 5 (‘Interacting with Citizens’), three of whom had

more than 5 years of experience in the Civil Service, with one commenting on the

importance of striking a balance between being answerable to citizens and supporting

the Minister. This respondent noted the importance of listening to citizens, without

advocating for a single person. Another respondent suggested that it would be

beneficial for new Civil Servants to learn how to deal with NGOs, citizens and other

key stakeholders, and how to understand and communicate the Department’s

position when dealing with different types of external stakeholders.

Three respondents (all of whom had more than five years of experience in the Civil

Service) referred to module 7 (‘Interacting with the Dáil’), noting that this module

would help staff to see the full context of the political process, with one commenting

that ‘motivation can drop’ when staff don't understand the impact of their work. Two

respondents identified Module 4 as being beneficial, (‘The Minister and the Civil

Servant’) while two others suggested that all modules would have been beneficial to

the staff they have managed.

Q10. With your staff, (current or previous), in mind, what else would you

recommend be included on the course?

Civil Service-Wide Topics

In response to this question, one respondent suggested adding information on data

protection. Another suggested adding detail on Judicial Reviews. One respondent

mentioned legislation, more generally, while another suggested providing information

on the Civil Service Code of Conduct, Official Secrets Act, Freedom of Information

Act, and the Carltona Doctrine.

One respondent recommend adding more information on finance-related topics, such

as the basics of public accounting. Another respondent mentioned risk management.

One respondent suggested providing information on how to interact with external

stakeholders such as NGOs, lobby groups, and policy experts, while another

recommended adding more information on FOI requests. This responded remarked

that staff should learn how to be cautious about what they write, as what they write

‘can be FOI’d’.


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Two respondents mentioned the different writing styles required for different work

contexts, such as note taking, how to write up minutes of meetings in a ‘succinct yet

coherent way’, or drafting a memo. One respondent suggested that more information

be provided on preparing draft replies for Reps and PQs (and suggested that

templates would be useful in this regard). This respondent also suggested more

information be provided on the importance of giving correct information, how to

source correct information, and giving disallowances on PQs. One other respondent

made no suggestions relating to content, but recommended that course organisers

ensure that the course is accessible for staff with disabilities/additional needs.


When responding to this question, one respondent suggested that the course include

detail on how participants’ work contributes to the overall achievement of the

Department’s objectives, which would include the process of policy development and

implementation. Another respondent suggested including a presentation of the

organisational structure (including hierarchy, grades, and roles), and how decisions are

made within the Department, for example how the Department decides if it requires

an additional Division, and how the Department measures the scope of its functions.

Another respondent suggested the inclusion of information on any laws relevant to

the Unit within which a course participant works. One respondent mentioned self-

care in relation to dealing with difficult subject matter. Another respondent suggested

that the Department look at incorporating the Revenue Commissioners code of

ethics, which frames expectations of Civil Servants, and lists five behaviours expected

of all Civil Servants.


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(e) Case study

Q11: We will be looking to include a case study. We’ll look at an example of the

democratic process at work in our department, for example a project, piece of

legislation or report that touches on the modules of this course (e.g. interaction

with the Dáil/Minister, PQs, press/citizen engagement) - would any pieces of

departmental work come to mind for you that we could consider?

When responding to this question, nine respondents (five of whom were of grade

level AP and above) gave specific examples of case studies relating to the work of the

Department, with two recommending case studies relating to the White Paper on

Ending Direct Provision. Three respondents suggested that case studies cover the

passing of legislation from start to finish. Two of these respondents highlighted the

new legislation on the rights of adoptive people (Information and Tracing Bill) as

examples, with one mentioning that this example illustrates the complexity involved

in developing legislation, and that this could be balanced against an example showing

the process of passing a more straightforward piece of legislation. One respondent

mentioned the Child and Family Agency Act as an example of a case study that

outlines the process of passing legislation.

Two respondents suggested that any case study that involves interaction with a

range of stakeholders would be valuable, such as members of the public or academia.

One of these respondents suggested either a case study relating to the Department’s

work with Comhairle na nOg; the civil society consultation event hosted as part of

the Department’s engagement on the UNCRC reporting process; or the national

model of parenting support services, which involved citizen engagement across a

range of sectors. The other respondent mentioned the Mother and Baby Homes

redress scheme as it has involved a diverse range of stakeholders, e.g. Cabinet,

officials from a range of government Departments, and citizen representative groups.

Another respondent suggested a case study that would track the development of

policy from appraisal to implementation, and highlighted the National Childcare

Scheme, given that this process involved consultation, a robust communication


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campaign, a large volume of PQs, and press engagement. Another respondent

recommended a case study that would track the development of disability policy.

One respondent suggested a case study relating to the Early Years Advisory Group

response to COVID-19, highlighting how consultation methods were adapted during

COVID-related restrictions. Another respondent had a general idea related to

answering a PQ or responding to an FOI request, while another suggested a case

study relating to subject access requests, which they felt would provide a good

example of public engagement. Another respondent suggested the national

broadband plan as an example, while six respondents did not provide any case study

ideas.

(f) Participating in the New Course

Q12. We are looking for potential colleagues to take part in this course - would you

be open to the L&D unit contacting you about taking part? Or, if you're a manager,

is there someone you think would benefit from this course?

A total of 16 respondents were happy to be contacted, as they and/or their

colleagues would be interested in taking the course. Two responded that they would

not like to be contacted about attending the course.

(g) Additional feedback

Q13. Is there anything else that comes to mind, or do you have any other feedback

on the course?

The vast majority of the remaining feedback was positive, with three respondents

commenting that the level of detail in the draft course outline was good, and three

commenting that the course will be useful for both new and more experienced civil

servants. One respondent mentioned that the course would have been helpful when

they first started in the Civil Service. Another mentioned that it seems like a useful

and interesting course, as they were of the opinion that the Civil Service has

historically leaned heavily towards ‘on-the-job learning’.


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One respondent recommended that information on staff grades and roles should be

included. Another observed that the course refers a lot to citizen clients, and

recommended that the course also mention that the DCEDIY has many clients that

aren't citizens (e.g. asylum seekers, following the transfer of functions from the

Department of Justice, earlier in 2021). One respondent emphasised the importance

of learning about FOI requests, policy formulation, the general objectives of the

Department, and how staff contribute towards ‘the bigger picture’.

One respondent mentioned that content from the AO development programme could

be used as a source of information, as it covers many of the issues outlined in this

course. However, another respondent mentioned that they had previously completed

the AO development programme, and while there were many similar topics, that

course hadn’t proven useful for them. One respondent noted that One Learning may

be developing their own Civil Service essentials course. Another respondent

commented that they will be interested to see how this new course maintains its

relevance and integrity, over time, as priorities change.

One respondent commented that care should be taken in relation to the target

audience, as CO/EO/AOs are often new and won't have interacted with most topics,

noting that that the course should not be pitched at too high a level. This respondent

noted that case studies will be important, in order to ground the content in day-to-

day examples. This was echoed by two other respondents, one of whom commented

that a case study will be important, and that the course should put a focus on that,

describing the rest as ‘academic’ and ‘dry’. One of these respondents recommended

adding information about the role of Special Advisors and where they fit in, as part of

the Department’s organisational structure.

One respondent commented that the proposed course content is not relevant to their

day-to-day work. Another mentioned that the majority of people ‘learn on their feet’,

and that civil servants can learn on the job themselves and don’t need to be ‘spoon-

fed’. This respondent commented that the course would be useful as a source of

general information regarding the Civil Service.


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introduction to civil service essentials: an analysis of

Documents