Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 310: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the reason the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service has a customer service charter that has never complied with the Fitzpatrick report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7703/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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The 2007 Fitzpatrick report evaluated the customer service charters of some thirty Departments and agencies including my Department's charter which incorporates the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). The charter was updated last year to cover the period 2009-2011 and together with my Department's Customer Action Plan, have been developed in accordance with the Department of the Taoiseach's guidelines taking into account the recommendations in the report referred to by the Deputy.

The new charter has a clearer definition of different customer groups with aspects of the charter tailored specifically to the delivery of INIS services. In addition, as set-out in the Customer Action Plan, a formal consultation process with non-governmental organisations for immigration and related services has been put in place through a Customer Liaison Panel. The INIS meets with the Panel on a regular basis to consider suggestions and proposals put forward. The Charter and Action Plan are published on my Department's and the INIS websites.

Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Fine Gael)
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Question 311: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the measures the task force on the public service has taken to improve the service levels of the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service and the Garda National Immigration Bureau following the publication of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, public service review in 2008. [7704/10]

Dermot Ahern (Louth, Fianna Fail)
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I am informed by the Immigration Division of my Department that a number of initiatives are ongoing in the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) and Garda National Immigration Bureau (GNIB) in the areas of change management, business process improvement and electronic Government in line with the reports of the task force and the OECD.

The Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service has a comprehensive change management programme underway since 2007. The programme is focused on restructuring and reforming the business processes of INIS in order to improve the delivery of immigration services to the public and to maximise the overall efficiency of the organisation in the context of the preparations for implementing the new Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill following its enactment. Under the programme, INIS–wide shared services opportunities have been identified in the areas of Corporate services, the management of Court proceedings (Judicial Review), training, customer services, finance and registries. Steps have already been taken to consolidate activities across INIS in the areas of statistical analysis with the establishment last year of an INIS Research & Analysis Unit and the creation of a central corporate services and finance unit.

In line with E-Government initiatives, information systems are being updated in INIS with the roll-out of the Automated Visa Application and Tracking System (AVATS) completed in mid-2009. The system includes an on-line visa application facility and tracks visa applications worldwide. Over 130,000 visa applications were processed through AVATS in 2009. An upgrade to the GNIB information system is also planned to meet ongoing and future requirements.

One of the recommendations in the OECD report concerns further civilianisation in the Garda Síochána, including in the immigration area. In this regard, the number of civilian staff in the GNIB has increased by 124% from 33 to 74 since the report was commissioned in December, 2006.