Thomas Pringle (Donegal, Independent) | Oireachtas source

The first report of the effectiveness and renewal group in June 2017 stated that the Department should consider converting the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service and the Irish Prison Service into separate agencies. The transformation programme has developed a service delivery and improvement plan for immigration and has put all the operations together. How does Mr. O'Driscoll anticipate this impacting on refugees in Ireland? He stated that it was his strong view that the Department is now grand. My personal view is that this Department has too many responsibilities and is too wide-ranging. It would benefit from being broken up with some of the agencies moved elsewhere so that it could take a more focused view. Mr. O'Driscoll says the current structure is fine as it allows for learning across the board, etc. That is different from the view that was taken in previous years and it is interesting to hear it. How will keeping these elements together improve the delivery of the service?