In the weeks following the Toland Review in 2014, the Department of Justice and Equality began a process of consultation and engagement to develop a Programme for Change and a delivery plan to implement the recommendations following that review.
Since 2014, considerable progress has been achieved on the delivery of that Programme, including but not limited to, reforming the organisational culture, leadership and management of the Department.
As part of the engagement process with key stakeholders following the Toland Report, then Minister Frances Fitzgerald hosted a round table meeting with all of the Justice and Equality organisations in November 2014 at which Kevin Toland and a number of other members of the Toland group attended.
Over the past three years progress on implementation has been monitored and reviewed regularly by my Department's Management Board and by its independent Audit Committee. The Department’s website has been regularly updated on the progress in implementation and the comprehensive report prepared for An Taoiseach has also been published on the website. Following a request a progress report was sent to the Justice Committee in December 2015 with the Committee acknowledging the “significant progress” which had been made to that point in implementing the report. Updates on progress have also been provided to this House through parliamentary questions, most recently in July of this year.
Change is a continuous process and in keeping with best international practice, earlier this year my Department contracted management consultants to do a stocktake of progress on implementation to date and assist the Department’s Management Board in prioritising further reform measures for the next three years. I envisage that this process, in which both my predecessor and I participated, will be helpful to the Change Implementation Group which will assess progress in implementing the recommendations of the Toland Report and ensure the acceleration of the outstanding issues, such as structure, effective communications and the relationship with An Garda Síochána.
