05 December 2003
Research conducted by Northern Ireland's Review of Public Administration reveals that the population wants its public services to be improved and for providers to become more accountable to their service users. Northern Ireland relies much more heavily on quangos than the rest of the UK.
This latest consultation result indicates a high level of dissatisfaction with administrative arrangements, which are perceived as wasteful and poorly managed. There is an unwillingness to pay more for improvements, since existing taxes and rates are already high.
Public services are regarded as insufficiently customer-oriented, with inflexible opening times and weak provision for handling complaints.
Dissatisfaction is highest with the NHS, the planning service and the Social Security Agency's use of direct payments. In addition, the decisions of devolved former ministers were seen as often partisan.
There is praise for community groups that deliver public services and affinity with local authorities, but criticism that councillors are not properly accountable.
PFdec2003
