From:Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation

Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation, Jack Chambers announced thewinners of theBetter Public Service Awards (BPSA)in the Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) last night.

The BPSA were formerly known as the Civil Service Excellence and Innovation Awards and have been a very special occasion in the civil service calendar for the last ten years.

The awards have now expanded to include the wider public service this year – recognising the great collaboration between civil and public service and the stand-out projects that are delivering more for the people in our country.

A total of thirty-six teams were shortlisted across twelve categories. With broadcaster and presenter Marty Whelan compering the event, Minister of State with responsibility for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment, Frank Feighan and Pauline Mulligan, Chief Executive of Local Government Management Agency (LGMA) presented the award trophies to the winners.

In his opening remarks Taoiseach Micheál Martin said:

“Tonight’s nominees and winners represent the very best of civil service values and attributes.Looking over the various projects, it is evident to me that the willingness to support each other, share ideas and work together with a common purpose, has been central to success in delivering high quality public services.

“Whether you are a nominee, an award winner or a supporting colleague, you should all feel immensely proud of your achievements. Your hard work and dedication do not go unnoticed, and tonight is the perfect opportunity to truly recognise and celebrate these efforts.

“Congratulations to all, and on behalf of myself and my colleagues in Government, thank you for your continued hard work and positive commitment to the Irish public.”

“I am delighted that the awards have now expanded to include the wider public service this year – recognising the great collaboration between our civil and public service and the stand-out projects that are delivering more for the people in our country.

“The winning projects see digital transforming how people engage with the State, data improving decisions and outcomes, and services designed around real user needs. We see innovation not just tested, but scaled and a clear commitment to inclusion and sustainability. Congratulations to all participants – this work is shaping the future of public services in Ireland and setting a benchmark for others to follow.”

Minister of State for Public Procurement, Digitalisation and eGovernment, Frank Feighan:

“All of the nominated projects and incredible initiatives tonight show what’s possible when we work across boundaries, embrace new ways of thinking and keep citizens at the centre of everything we do. Whether through smarter use of technology, more integrated services, or creative problem-solving, you are helping to build a more responsive and inclusive public service.

“To all our nominees and to those who came first place in each of the twelve categories -huge congratulations.”

The winners across the night were as follows:

Better Public Services: Digital and Innovation at scale

Winner:Department of Health and the Health Service Executive (HSE)Project title:National Scaling of Acute Virtual Wards

Winner:Department of Children, Disability and Equality and Tusla, the Child and Family AgencyProject title:Cross Government Implementation of Barnahus in Ireland

Winner:Ard-Rúnaí na Roinne Forbartha Tuaithe agus Pobail agus Gaeltachta agus Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath / Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht and Dublin City CouncilProject title:Gaeilge365

Better Public Services: Workforce and Organisation of the Future

Winner:Office of Government Procurement, Department of Public Expenditure Infrastructure Public Service Reform and Digitalisation and InterTradeIreland under aegis of Department of Enterprise Tourism and EmploymentProject title:Government Supply Expo

05. Driving Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

Winner:Department of Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht, Meath County Council, An Garda Síochána, Department of Health, Department of Housing, Local Government & Heritage, Department of Transport, Department of Culture, Communications and Sports and the Health Service Executive (HSE)Project title:Age Friendly Ireland Shared Service Office in Meath County Council

06. Shaping the workforce of the Future

Winner:Department of Social Protection (DSP)Project title:Strategic Workforce Planning. From Insights to Action: Transforming our Workforce Future

Better Public Services: Evidence informed policy and services designed for and with our Public

07. Human-centred policy and service design

Winner:Department of Health, Health Service Executive (HSE) and the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland (PSI)Project title:Delivery of the Common Conditions Service by community pharmacists in Ireland

08. Strategic use of data to deliver efficiency in public services

Winner: Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Teagasc - The Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Bord Bia and the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF)Project title:AgNav - a voluntary digital sustainability platform, available to farmers and advisors across Ireland

09. Strategic use of data to guide improvements in policy development and implementation

Winner:Department of Transport and An Garda SíochánaProject title:The Irish Motor Insurance Database

Better Public Services: A Vision for our Future

Winner:Office of Public Works and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners

Project title:Rosslare Europort Terminal 7 and Enabling Works

Winner:Department of Transport, Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment (DCEE)Project title:Development of Ireland’s first Sustainable Aviation Fuel Policy Roadmap

Winner:Department of Social Protection (DSP)Project title:Establishment of MyFutureFund – theAutomatic Enrolment Retirement Savings system

The Better Public Services Awards are an annual celebration honouring outstanding achievements in innovation, collaboration and delivery across the civil and public service. This year over eighty projects were received from across the civil and public service and thirty-six projects were shortlisted. There are twelve categories with one project winning an award in each category.

Better Public Servicesis built around three pillars: Digital and Innovation at Scale, Workforce and Organisation of the Future and Evidence-informed policy and services designed for and with our. It calls for new ways of working that are human­centered and outcomes-focused. A core ambition of the strategy is to achieve better impacts at scale.