Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 10 to 17, inclusive, together.

The public service, justice and policing reform unit is part of the social policy and public service reform division of my Department. The work of the unit supports me in my role as Taoiseach on policing reform, criminal justice, public service reform, social affairs and other related matters, supports the Civil Service management board, including the Civil Service renewal programme, and contributes to the oversight and governance of the new public services reform plan. The unit also assists the work of the Cabinet committee on social affairs and equality and the associated senior officials group, which were established to oversee implementation of programme for Government commitments in the areas of social policy, equality and public services. Policy areas covered include gender equality, which encompasses efforts to address domestic, sexual and gender-based violence, and matters relating to arts and culture, children, justice, policing reform and community safety, disability, social inclusion, direct provision, the Irish language, and sport.

The unit incorporates the policing reform implementation programme office, which oversees the implementation of A Policing Service for the Future, the Government's plan to implement the report of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. A Policing Service for the Future is broken down into four stages of implementation. The first three phases have been completed and much has been achieved. The future focus of the programme for the final or consolidation phase will be on several key organisational and corporate enablers to assist in achieving a sustainable transformation of policing. This includes areas such as IT, HR and finance, which are key enablers across the entire reform programme, as well the necessary legislation, operating model, community safety and non-core duties.

In addition, the section has departmental oversight of the NESC, participates in relevant interdepartmental committees and other groups, and provides me with briefing and speech material on criminal justice and policing matters as well as social policy and public service reform issues.

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