Bord Snip Nua Recommendations

One of our plans for future competitiveness rests with the imminent recommendations of Bord Snip Nua which are supposed to identify opportunities to eliminate waste in the government.

Just how focused will these recommendations be on the delivery of the proposed results? Is anyone thinking of these plans as a change portfolio, that must be managed correctly? Will it be operated like a portfolio office…or will it be an office dedicated to reading thousands of reports? The Institute of Project Management has long championed the importance of structured oversight in exactly these kinds of large-scale initiatives.

The proposals will create an immense amount of work but we have heard nothing yet about the management of all of these recommendations. Those looking to build the skills needed to navigate such complexity may benefit from exploring our range of project management courses.

Project Portfolio Management will be a key element in the success of these cost reduction packages – however, it does not appear to be on the radar. Whether it is the politics, the spin, or what, it just doesn’t get talked about. For those wanting to stay informed on the latest thinking in this space, our project management blog covers these topics in depth.

That is what should happen. First, get the people who know how to manage complex change initiatives. These are not career politicians but are experienced project professionals who can manage change portfolios and get results. Effective communication with key decision-makers is critical in this context, which is why our stakeholder management and communications course is so relevant for professionals operating at this level. A solid grounding in a project management framework is essential for anyone stepping into such a role.

Second, emphasize the competency of project management. Where it exists, the government should leverage the pockets of excellence to develop an enterprise discipline in project execution. Understanding the financial implications of large-scale change is equally critical, and our finance for project managers course gives professionals the capability to assess costs, manage budgets, and support informed decision-making. Strong analytical capability is also vital, and our business analyst course equips professionals with the tools to identify inefficiencies and drive meaningful organisational change.

We also need to advocate for accelerating the project. There couldn’t be a greater sense of urgency right now. We need to get the huge national debt lowered as quickly as possible.