Departmental Agencies Issues

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 7 November 2012

Wednesday, 7 November 2012

Questions (88)

Patrick Nulty

Question:

88. Deputy Patrick Nulty asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the position regarding plans to merge the Forensic Science laboratory into the State Laboratory; his views on whether the merger would be a retrograde step; if he will confirm that a recent review carried out by his Department accepts that there will be no significant savings as a result of a merger; his views on concerns raised by many persons that if the merger proceeds, Ireland will be the only EU member state, apart from the UK, without a publicly funded laboratory or institute dedicated to forensic science; if his attention has been drawn to the fact that the privatisation of forensic science services in the UK has been of concern to many eminent scientists there; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48814/12]

Written answers

Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform

Some 46 critical reviews of State bodies were undertaken as part of the Public Service Reform plan, published in November 2011. I updated my Government colleagues on the rationalisation of state agencies on 31st October 2012.

Critical review No.19 of the Agency Rationalisation Programme recommended the merger of the Forensic Science Laboratory into the State Laboratory upon co-location on the Backweston Campus. The review set out that the laboratories have distinct functions and roles as well as different reporting relationships and governance structures. Nonetheless, given the commonalities in certain professional and scientific aspects of their work, there is scope for operational and support synergies and for this reason the Forensic Science Laboratory will be brought within the ambit of the State Laboratory. The operational environment of the Forensic Science Laboratory in the criminal justice system will not be affected by this measure. The Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and the Department of Justice and Equality will engage with the two laboratories to identify how best to progress these synergies by the end of 2013.