Ms Pauline McCabe:

We met each of the political parties. We approached the justice committee and the Minister for Justice. We argued from the outset of the need for a joined-up implementation plan. The matter was discussed at the justice committee several times but the fact is that it did not happen. However, one welcome development has been the establishment of a change team. It has not started at the time or from the place we would have wished, but given where we are now, it is trying to produce a comprehensive programme of work. It is engaging with everyone who has a part to play. It is starting to consider sequencing issues and to put timescales against activities. Crucially, it is beginning to do proper costing. One of the downsides of not having an implementation plan has been that in the absence of one, we cannot say that in a given timeframe this is what we expect it to look like, or that if we make a given investment now, then we will get a given outcome at the other end. Without it, if we approach different departments with responsibility for health, education or development and so on, and urge them to commit to it, it is very difficult to get commitments.

In my view, this continues to be a flaw in the context of there being serious joined-up thinking right at the top at departmental, committee and ministerial level. For example, everyone would benefit if the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety, which has such a key role to play, adopted a much more joined-up approach. In the absence of that, those at prison level and at South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust level are doing the best they can to co-ordinate their efforts.