Vol. 575 No. 3
105 Mr. R. Bruton asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the date by which he expects all action plans under the benchmarking agreements will be agreed and published; and the date by which the performance verification groups must approve progress in regard to these plans in order that the proposed 50% payment due on 1 January 2004 can be made. [25860/03]
The action plans from organisations under the remit of the justice and equality sector performance verification group, PVG, have been agreed and were published on the Department's website in October 2003. Paragraph 26.4 of Sustaining Progress requires each sectoral performance verification group to make an assessment of progress, at the latest, one month in advance of each of the payment dates specified in the agreement. Accordingly, the justice and equality sector PVG is required to provide its assessment of progress made by the following organisations relating to the general round and benchmarking payments due on 1 January 2004 no later than 1 December 2003: Land Registry and Registry of Deeds; Courts Service; Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner; Refugee Appeals Tribunal; Irish Prison Service; Probation and Welfare Service; Legal Aid Board; Office of the Director of Equality Investigations – The Equality Tribunal; Equality Authority; National Disability Authority; Garda Síochána Complaints Board; Forensic Science Laboratory; Office of the Data Protection Commissioner; and the Film Censor's Office
With regard to the Garda Síochána, following ballots of their respective members, the four Garda staff associations have indicated acceptance of the report of the public service benchmarking body and the terms of Sustaining Progress. It is expected that an agreed report of the Garda conciliation council recording such agreement will be signed by all parties shortly. The four Garda staff associations will meet Garda management this week to discuss the contents of the draft action plan. The Garda Commissioner has nominated a 12 member PVG and an independent chairperson. The Garda action plan, when agreed by the partnership committee and approved by the PVG, will be published on the Garda website.
