Remaining benchmarking pay increases are dependent upon real and verifiable outputs, the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern said today.
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Addressing the annual conference of the National Standards Authority of Ireland this morning, Mr Ahern said the public service must follow the example of the private sector and "provide increasingly more responsive customer service in order to secure their long term future".
However, Mr Ahern did not detail what specific "improvements and moderisation" would be required to ensure the public service did not lose the support of the taxpayer.
Mr Ahern said a recent study conducted by the Civil Service indicated that almost 80 per cent of the general public was satisfied or very satisfied with the service they received from civil servants.
"However, that means that 20 per cent do not look on us so favourably; and customer expectations are not static, they are rising and they will continue to rise. To provide services as we did last year is not good enough."
