Mr. Aidan O'Driscoll:

I accept the challenge from Deputy Brophy. I agree that we have to show a difference in this area, as in others. What I said is that we have developed a customer service plan. We have put the new structure in place. It has been in place for one month. That is why I said to the committee in my opening statement - I repeated it twice - that people will have to be a little patient with us as we adapt to these new ways of working. It really is a challenge for everyone involved.

I will comment on one of the problems. I came from a different Department and I was staggered by Burgh Quay and the lack of information technology development on the immigration side. The Department of Justice and Equality is way behind the curve in service delivery compared with the Departments of Agriculture, Food and the Marine and Employment Affairs and Social Protection, the Revenue Commissioners and the other big operating Departments. It will take us a while to resolve that. It will require investment as well. I imagine my colleagues in the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform will note my remark to that effect.

I compliment the Deputy on his earlier comments. I do not want to get into the political debate so I will leave that there.

I absolutely and fully acknowledge that we need to do better in the context of service delivery. That is part of the purpose of the reform. It would be wrong to say that this will solve itself quickly but I think people will see substantial improvements quickly. If the successor committee calls me back in six months or a year from now, I reckon I will be able to identify clear improvements. If I come back in two years - if I am still around, let alone the committee members - I would expect substantial improvements to have been made.