Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 January 2024
1003. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Justice 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]
View answerI 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.
