Written answers

Tuesday, 18 September 2012

Department of Justice and Equality

Departmental Bodies

Photo of Dara CallearyDara Calleary (Mayo, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of agencies, authorities, boards, committees, working groups, tribunals, council services, task forces, agencies or other quangos set up by his Department since February 2011; the number abolished since then; the extra cost of quangos which were established; the savings from the abolition of quangos; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37249/12]

Photo of Seán FlemingSeán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of State bodies that have been set up since 9 March 2011; the rationale behind these decisions; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40000/12]

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 1165 and 1297 together.


I can inform the Deputy that in response to his question the following is the position since I took up office on 9 March 2011:


1. The Expert Group on Article 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights was established following the European Court on Human Rights finding against Ireland in the McFarlane case to make recommendations on the development of policy and legislative proposals for an effective domestic remedy as required by Article 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights in respect of violations of Article 6. It is expected to report in the near future. There is no cost associated with the establishment of this group.


2. ICT Governance Group - this has been established within my own Department and is chaired at Assistant Secretary level. The body is charged with the review and oversight of ICT spending within my Department and agencies. There is no cost associated with the establishment of this group.


3. Independent International Commission on Decommissioning (IICD) was responsible for overseeing the decommissioning of paramilitary weapons. It was established by an agreement between the Irish and British Governments, signed on 26 August 1997, and by legislation enacted in the two jurisdictions. It was dissolved on 31 March 2011. The outturn for the Commission's last full year of operation 2010 was €594,000.


4. Independent Monitoring Commission (IMC) was responsible for monitoring and reporting on paramilitary activity across Ireland and also for monitoring the security normalisation measures undertaken by the British Government in the North. It was dissolved on 31 March 2011. The outturn for the Commission's last full year of operation 2010 was €426,000.

5. The Government following its meeting on 14 June 2011 decided to establish an Inter-Departmental Committee which is independently chaired by Senator Martin McAleese, to establish the facts of State involvement with the Magdalen Laundries, to clarify any State interaction, and to produce a narrative detailing such interaction. No extra costs were incurred in establishing this Inter-Departmental Committee.


6. Inter-Departmental Working Group on Corporate Manslaughter was established in January 2012. The Chairman is due a flat fee of €4,000 (gross) on completion of his task.

7. The Internet Safety Advisory Council was appointed with effect from 1 December 2008. It was neither statutory nor regulatory but it was advisory. The mandate for the Internet Safety Advisory Council expired on 30 November 2011. The Chair of the Internet Safety Advisory Council received remuneration of €8,978 per year. The Internet Safety Advisory Committee succeeded the previous Internet Safety Advisory Council and it held its first meeting on 12 April 2012. The Chair does not receive any remuneration.


8. National Disability Strategy Implementation Group (NDSIG) was established by Ms. Kathleen Lynch, T.D. Minister of State at my department with responsibility for disability. The Group was established the on 30 November 2011. The NDSIG is not an additional group in the sense that it has replaced and will build on the former National Disability Strategy Stakeholder Monitoring Group, which was in place under the previous Government. There is no cost associated with the establishment of this group.


9. National Steering Committee on Violence against Men which met for the first time on 14 December 2011. There is no cost associated with the establishment of this committee.

10. Prisons Authority Interim Board was abolished on 26 July, 2011. The amount saved is in excess of €100,000 per annum.


11. Property Services Regulatory Authority was established on a legal footing on 3 April 2012. It has an annual budget for 2012 of €738,000.

12. Property Services Appeal Board was established on 24 July 2012. No costs have been incurred to date in respect of the Appeal Board. Board members will be paid a daily rate for each day they meet in accordance with rates and conditions sanctioned by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.


13. Task Force on Cost Reductions in Criminal Legal Aid was established in May 2011 to identify changes which could potentially contribute to cost reductions on criminal legal aid (CLA). The Task Force reported in October 2011. The establishment of this Task Force did not incur any additional costs.


14. Thornton Hall Review Group was established to review the need for the Thornton Hall Prison Project. It was set up in April 2011 and reported to me in July 2011. Review Group costs incurred = €15,712.


15. Working Group on Efficiency Measures in the Circuit Court and District Court was established in November 2011 at the request of both the Chief Justice and of myself. A number of changes have already been introduced and its work continues. There are no additional costs associated with the establishment of this group.

16. 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 completed its work in April 2012 and its report was published on 19 April 2012. There are no costs associated with the establishment of this group.


For his information, I would remind the Deputy that the term "quango" is an acronym which stands for "quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations". No non-governmental organisations fall under the remit of my Department. Finally, the Deputy might wish to note that new groups/committees set up since I came into office were established for very specific reasons such as dealing with complex issues that require consultation with a range of stakeholders and in which it is anticipated that the outcome will be in the public interest, achieving savings or cost reductions for my Department and agencies or responding to requirements under Ireland's international commitments in, for example, the area of human rights.

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