Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 797: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the value for money review of the asylum and immigration scheme will be complete; the value of the anticipated savings to the Exchequer due to the implementation of this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26697/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The report of the Value for Money (VFM) review of Asylum and Immigration was published on my Department's website in November 2006.

The Review was carried out during a period of significant change, a key feature of which was falling numbers of asylum applications in the State and very significant increases in numbers for other immigration services. The outcome of the review was a comprehensive series of recommendations clustered around nine key areas.

A unique feature of the review was that it was a dynamic constantly evolving process. As recommendations were agreed, the implementation cycle also began. This meant that by the end of the Review, all of the recommendations had been accepted and implemented or were at early stages of implementation. A key driver in the implementation of these recommendations was the establishment of the Irish Naturalisation & Immigration Service (INIS) in early 2005.

A framework for the ongoing implementation of the recommendations arising from the Review has been in place since early 2007 in the form of a major Change Management initiative. This initiative included the establishment of a dedicated Change Management Unit in February 2007. The work of the Unit involves the co-ordination of the INIS Change Management Programme under the direction of a Change Management Project Board. The Change Management Project Board is chaired by the Director General of the INIS and includes the senior management of all agencies/divisions in INIS.

While many of the recommendations in the report have already been implemented or are currently being progressed, many of the structural and procedural changes proposed are contained in the Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill which is currently at Committee Stage in this House. It is within the framework of the Change Management Programme that these recommendations along with all of the other recommendations contained in the VFM report will continue to be progressed. This will support the continued delivery of asylum and immigration services in an integrated fashion.

With regard to the Deputy's query concerning the anticipated savings to the Exchequer, while it is not possible to put a figure on the value of savings to the Exchequer generated from implementation of the Report's recommendations, I can say that greater overall value for money has been achieved in the delivery of services across all asylum and immigration areas in recent years, through improved use of resources and improved efficiencies in the processing of applications.

For instance there are now much faster processing timescales for asylum determinations and the backlog which existed a number of years ago has been essentially eliminated. Visa processing times have also been significantly speeded up. Savings have also been achieved through various operational and enforcement strategies and other initiatives undertaken in the asylum and immigration areas in recent years.

Further improvements in service delivery and value for money will be achieved arising from the implementation of a suite of IT systems, including a new case management system for INIS. The implementation of the new Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill will also give rise to greater efficiency in how services are provided. In the area of protection, the Bill provides for the introduction of a single procedure for the processing of an application for protection in the State whether as a refugee or as a person eligible for subsidiary protection. The investigation of such an application shall also include whether, not being entitled to protection, an applicant should be otherwise permitted to remain in the State. This will replace the current three stage process under which each of these matters is determined sequentially.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 798: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the value for money review of the prisons capital projects will be complete; the value of the anticipated savings to the Exchequer due to the implementation of this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26698/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am advised by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that a review of certain aspects of its capital expenditure programme was commissioned in June 2006 under the framework of the Expenditure Review Initiative of the Department of Finance. The report of the independent review group was published in August 2007.

The review concluded that the response made by the Irish authorities, in terms of capital investment, has at a general level been strategic in terms of its aims, appropriate in terms of the projects undertaken, and reasonably effectively delivered within the budgetary, operational and policy context and constraints in which it has occurred.

The review group also made recommendations in relation to forward planning, capital programming and project appraisal and review. The Prison Service has accepted all of the recommendations and a Capital Programme Monitoring Committee has been established to oversee the recommendations set out in the report. These recommendations are largely of a procedural nature and it is not possible to quantify the potential savings to the Exchequer as they relate to future projects.

Brian Hayes (Dublin South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 799: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform when the value for money review of the probation and welfare service assistance to voluntary bodies will be complete; the value of the anticipated savings to the Exchequer due to the implementation of this report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26699/08]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The Value for Money Review of the Probation Service, Assistance to Voluntary Bodies, is now complete. The purpose of such reviews is to ensure that the public resources dedicated to these programmes are being used both effectively and efficiently.