Welcome to the all new per.gov.ie and the re-booted As Per Blog.

You are reading this blog post on our new website which was designed and delivered in house by staff in the Office of Chief Government Information Officer.

The establishment of the Office of Chief Government Information Officer (OCGIO) was one of two new offices established in what was a busy, challenging and successful 2013.

Just over one month old, 2014 has begun in the same vein for DPER – not only have we launched our new website, we have instigated a new wave of public service reforms including a public consultation process on Strengthening Civil Service Accountability and an initiative on Civil Service Renewal, all of which  form part of our Public Service Reform Plan 2014-2016, which we published on 14 January 2014, alongside a progress report detailing the many reforms enacted since the publication of the first Reform Plan in 2011.

Our new website will keep you fully up to date with these, and all of our major initiatives. The new design will help you explore our main policy areas, view our publications, and press releases. It will be easier than ever to stay in touch with what we are doing and where we are doing it with a new Media gallery, where we will upload our images and videos. Our new website also introduces members from our senior staff and their areas of responsibility.

As the public service moves towards making the maximum use of digitalisation and open data to deliver services and information in innovative ways, helped by initiatives such as OGCIO, our website will be the primary repository for information relevant to our Department.

The website was designed with the intention of making it easier for you, the user, to access the information you require and I hope that you find it informative. If there is anything we can do to improve your visit to the website, please let us know by emailing pressoffice@per.gov.ie .

Brendan Howlin, TD, Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform