The Government is to announce a three-year plan to reform the civil service later.

Earlier this year the Government published a public consultation process on the future of the civil service and appointed an independent review panel.

The panel reported back in May and the Government will today announce a three-year plan for the renewal of the civil service.

The Coalition looks set to reject a recommendation for the appointment of a head of the civil service however, similar to what is in operation in places like the UK, Canada and New Zealand.

Also set to be rejected is any idea for performance related or bonus pay structures in the civil service.

It is expected to include an accountability board that would be chaired by An Taoiseach and have external expertise that would challenge senior management performance in the civil service.

Another measure could see the streamlining of the grade structure in the civil service.

Financial commentator Eddie Hobbs is unconvinced that reforms needed will be delivered, however.

“The whole structure needs to be reformed and modernised to a far greater level than what’s being attempted,” he said.

“We have a situation where a developed economy went through a major financial crisis and a large proportion of its workforce was ringfenced, largely, from the worst effects of that, which was unemployment.

“Now there was reductions in pay, there were pension levies, but the pension scheme itself is simply unaffordable.”