Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
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268. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the person currently acting as the Secretary General in her Department; the procedures that are in place to recruit the next Secretary General in the Department; the actions she has taken to address the concerns raised in the report of the independent review group on the Department of Justice and Equality; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [37765/14]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Mr. Noel Waters, Director General, Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service has taken on the duties of Acting Secretary General in my Department.

In common with most appointments to the post of Secretary General, this recruitment process process is being independently managed by the Top Level Appointments Committee, in accordance with established procedures.

Following the independent review of the performance, management and administration of the Department (the Toland Report), a comprehensive Programme for Change has been initiated. This includes a series of consultations with staff and agencies and development of a draft implementation plan. Considerable progress has already been made, in particular, in terms of engagement with staff. However, the key role in acting on the conclusions and recommendations in the report, and leading the fundamental changes envisaged, will fall to the new Secretary General. It will be appreciated, therefore, that the implementation plan, which I intend to publish, cannot be finalised until the new Secretary General is in place.