Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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33. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if the criminal justice service group recommended by the Garda Inspectorate in its report on crime investigation from October 2014 has now been established; the progress of its work in implementing the Garda Inspectorate's recommendation; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [1326/15]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy will be aware, when I published the Inspectorate report I welcomed it as forming an important component in the overall justice reform programme underway. Implementation of this programme, including the reforms recommended by the Inspectorate is being overseen by the Cabinet Committee on Justice Reform, chaired by An Taoiseach.

There will also of course be a central role for the new Police Authority and Garda Commissioner in implementing the identified reforms. An Garda Síochána has already taken important steps to follow through on the Inspectorate’s recommendations with the establishment of an Implementation Steering Group to immediately focus on the implementation of the short, medium and long-term recommendations in the Report, and I am engaging with the new Commissioner on this process. In particular, the Garda Policing Plan is being revised to take into account changes being made as a result of the recommendations contained in the report.

In addition, in advance of the establishment of the Policing Authority, I intend to hold discussions with Josephine Feehily, the Chairman-designate, on the establishment of an effective implementation framework to oversee delivery of reforms in An Garda Síochána and will explore with the Chairman-designate, the Commissioner, and the other relevant agencies, how the specific recommendation cited by the Deputy can best be taken forward.