Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1003. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if quality assurance and or compliance audits in respect of performance review ratings in the Irish Prison Service have been undertaken in the past ten years to date; and if same has been carried out in respect of data entered into the performance management system. [56457/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that the performance management and development system implemented by the Irish Prison Service is the centrally agreed system for the general Civil Service.

I can advise the Deputy that in 2020, the Internal Audit Unit of the Department of Justice conducted an overall assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of internal financial controls in four prisons. The findings and recommendations of the Internal Audit Unit were published in July 2020 in a report titled “Assurance on the Internal Financial Controls in the Irish Prison Service Vote 21 2019”.

The performance management and development system (PMDS) in the Irish Prison Service formed part of this assessment and it was recommended that compliance of the PMDS across the service be reviewed.

Following a comprehensive review, the Irish Prison Service upgraded its Human Resources Management System to allow for an electronic performance management development system to be introduced. The process has been significantly streamlined and the first phase went live in November 2023. This improves reporting functionality to ensure compliance.

The Governor of each prison or unit is responsible for ensuring full compliance with the performance management and development system and in this regard the Irish Prison Service will continue to engage with all line-managers to support them in achieving full compliance. This is in line with the recently published Irish Prison Service Strategy 2023-2027, whereby the Irish Prison Service intends to implement a fair and consistent performance management process that aligns strategic goals to annual deliverables and effectively manages employee performance.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1004. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the number of protected disclosures received by her Department in the past ten years to date in respect of the Irish Prison Service; the status of same; if external consultants have been engaged to review and or investigate protected disclosures; and if she will provide a schedule of protected disclosures that have been rejected and those that have been accepted over that time. [56458/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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As the Deputy is aware, the purpose of the Protected Disclosures Act (the “Act”) 2014, as amended by the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022, is to afford important protections to persons making protected disclosures. A protected disclosure, as set out in section 5 of the Act, is a disclosure of information which, in the reasonable belief of a worker, tends to show one or more relevant wrongdoings; came to the attention of the worker in a work-related context; and is disclosed in the manner prescribed in the Act.

The Act provides that protected disclosures can be made internally to the worker’s employer and also externally to persons other than their employer where certain conditions set out in the Act are met.

As the Deputy may be aware, the Irish Prison Service (IPS) introduced its own Protected Disclosures Policy in July 2018 and has mainly received protected disclosures directly from its employees since then. My Department has also transferred correspondence to the IPS, where appropriate, for consideration under its Protected Disclosures Policy. Expert external service providers are contracted, as required, by my Department to assess, investigate and review protected disclosures.

The table below provides details of correspondence relating to the IPS received and managed under the Department’s Protected Disclosures Policy from 2015 to 2022.

As the Deputy is aware, the Protected Disclosures (Amendment) Act 2022 commenced operation on January 1, 2023. This new legislation includes significant changes to the operation of the legal framework for the protection of reporting persons and sets out new statutory obligations in relation to the management of protected disclosures.

My Department's Protected Disclosures Annual Report for 2023 will be published on the Department's website by March 31, 2024.

The Irish Prison Service Protected Disclosures Annual Reports from 2018 to 2022 can be found at: www.irishprisons.ie/?s=protected+disclosures.

Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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1005. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the status of a staff member (details supplied); if her attention has been drawn to their situation and her plans to provide assistance to them. [56459/23]

Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
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I am advised by the Director General of the Irish Prison Service that the employee referred to by the Deputy is due to retire from the Irish Prison Service shortly on ill health grounds.

I am further advised that the Irish Prison Service has ensured the Officer has been offered, and has access to, all the staff support services available.