The Government has published its action plan for reform of the public service.
It hopes implementation of the wide-ranging proposals will help to eliminate the current budget deficit of €4.7bn by 2011.
The pay and pensions bill for the country's 373,000 public servants will top €20bn next year.
Last April, an OECD report found that while the staff numbers were not huge by international standards, they were not efficient enough.
A key element of the plan will be a four-person expert committee to oversee cuts in spending, staff numbers, streamlining of services and improved value for money.
The task force recommends the creation of a unified public service with a common pool of staff who can transfer between the civil service and the broader public sector.
It wants better mechanisms to deal with staff who underperform.
It proposes shared services, like payroll and information technology, to reduce duplication and cost.
Improved governance in state bodies will also be on the agenda - including reforming how state boards are appointed.
And it wants to cut red tape for the public, and improve e-government.
The reforms will be overseen by a new expert group chaired by economist Colm McCarthy.
It will examine staff numbers, rationalisation of state agencies, and other ways of achieving more efficient operations.
It may also examine employment terms and conditions - including the permanent and pensionable tenure of new recruits.
The expert group is due to report by June next year.
