The Reform Agenda in the Northern Ireland Civil Service
| Published date | 01 July 2007 |
| DOI | 10.1177/0952076707078759 |
| Author | Derek Birrell |
| Date | 01 July 2007 |
| Subject Matter | Articles |
The Reform Agenda in the
Northern Ireland Civil Service
The Influences of Parity, Integration, Devolution and
Direct Rule
Derek Birrell
University of Ulster, UK
Abstract This article examines the impact of the reform and modernization agenda of
the United Kingdom Home Civil Service on the Northern Ireland Civil
Service, which has always existed as a separate civil service. It seeks to
identify the differentiation in responses to the main UK reform initiatives in
recent years and, in particular, to consider in this context the first
comprehensive reform document to be produced by the Northern Ireland Civil
Service, which appeared in 2004. A typology of four different influences is
examined to explain the diversity of responses categorized as parity,
integration, devolution and direct rule. Consideration is given to the
significance of a separate civil service in the pattern of adjustments to Home
Civil Service reforms and in facilitating other distinctive approaches.
Comment is also made on the possible relevance of Northern Ireland
experience to the absence of a separate civil service in Scotland and Wales
following devolution.
Keywords Civil Service, devolution, Northern Ireland, reform
Introduction
One of the differences with the operation of devolved institutions in Northern
Ireland, compared to Scotland and Wales, has been the existence of a separate civil
service. The Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) was established in 1921 and
has continued since as a separate service from the United Kingdom Home Civil
Service. This separateness is demonstrated by its legal status, the existence of
Northern Ireland Civil Service Commissioners, the different code of ethics, the
DOI: 10.1177/0952076707078759
Derek Birrell, School of Policy Studies, University of Ulster, Magee Campus, Londonderry BT48 7JL,
Northern Ireland. [email: wd.birrell@ulster.ac.uk] 275
© Public Policy and Administration
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200707 22(3) 275–288
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