Michael Healy-Rae (Kerry South, Independent)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 238: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of new committees, advisory groups or new positions in general that have been put in place since he was appointed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40554/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context

The Question posed by the Deputy is very general and non-specific in nature. I am not aware of any new positions that have been created. However, the number of new committees and advisory groups that have been created are set out as follows:

Expert Group on Article 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights .

A new National Steering Committee on Violence against Men met for the first time on 14 December, 2011.

Minister Lynch has established and is personally chairing the National Disability Strategy Implementation Group (NDSIG), which held its inaugural meeting on 30 November 2011. The NDSIG is not an additional group in the sense that it has replaced and will build on the achievements of the former National Disability Strategy Stakeholder Monitoring Group, which was in place under the previous administration.

A Working Group on the establishment of the new, enhanced Human Rights and Equality Commission was appointed on 6 October 2011 to advise me on this extremely important matter. The Group will have a short timeframe for their work as it is intended to have a new Commission in place early in the New Year.

On foot of the commitment in The Government Programme for National Recovery "to review the proposal to build a new prison at Thornton Hall and to consider alternatives, if any, to avoid the costs yet to be incurred by the State in building such a new prison"I set up a Review Group in April of this year to review the need for the Thornton Hall Prison Project. The Group reported to me on 8th July.

An Inter-Departmental Committee which is independently chaired by Senator Martin McAleese, was set up to establish the facts of State involvement with the Magdalen Laundries, to clarify any State interaction, and to produce a narrative detailing such interaction.

An ICT Governance Group has been established. This body is charged with the review and oversight of IT spending and direction in the Department and in some of the bodies under the aegis of the Department. It has been established to obtain value for money and greater synergies and efficiencies in the area. It is chaired by an Assistant Secretary in my Department.

In the time available it has not been possible to obtain information on the above matter from the Garda Síochána. If additional information comes to light I will forward it to the Deputy.