Under the Public Service Management Act 1997 (No.27 of 1977), the Secretary General of the Department of Health has the following responsibilities:
Section 4(1) of the Act empowers the Secretary General to assign to other officers of the department (or grade or grades of officer) responsibility for the performance of his or her functions. The framework constitutes a consolidated statement of all assignments under the Act by the Secretary General of the Department of Health.
Interpretation of this document and the assignments herein should have due regard to the factors which from time to time affect the distribution and discharge of responsibilities across the department, such as the exigencies of work in a particular area, the alignment of activities spanning or involving more than one area, and the co-ordination of shared or contiguous responsibilities. It should also have regard to the assignment of functions in respect of appointments, performance and discipline of personnel under the Civil Service Regulation Acts 1956-2005 which are made from time to time by the Secretary General under separate regulations.
Department of Health Assignment Framework shows the assignment of responsibility for the performance of functions to each individual officer down to and including Principal level. The responsibilities so assigned shall be articulated through the department's system of Divisional business plans to reflect the priorities and objectives of the department, as set out in its Statement of Strategy. The assignment of responsibility for the performance of functions by individual officers, or grade or grades of officer, below Principal level shall be handled administratively on the basis of the personal (or team) work objectives identified under or associated with the department’s Divisional business plans. The latter, which are rolled over on an annual basis to keep pace with changing needs and priorities, are informed both by the department's Statement of Strategy and by its Performance Management and Development System and provide a practical means of prioritising and managing the day-to-day work of the department at section, team and individual level.
Subject to overarching budgetary provisions, officers to whom responsibilities have been assigned under this framework will receive the appropriate resources and infrastructural support to enable them to fulfil their obligations under the Act.
Assignments under Section 4(1) of the Public Service Management Act, as specified in this framework, will continue to be amended from time to time, in writing, by the Secretary General and the framework will be deemed to have been updated accordingly.