Departmental Reviews

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 27 May 2014

Tuesday, 27 May 2014

Ceisteanna (661)

Lucinda Creighton

Ceist:

661. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Justice and Equality if she will provide the tendering process for the appointment of an independent expert review of performance, management and administration of her Department; if she will confirm that all oral and written correspondence between her Department and those charged with conducting the independent expert review will be recorded and released alongside the review itself when completed in the interests of transparency; if she will provide the total expected cost to her Department for conducting the review; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [22438/14]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

The Government decided on 13 May 2014 to have an independent expert review of the performance, management and administration of the Department of Justice and Equality carried out and completed before the Summer Recess. In view of the urgency of this timeline, I will appoint a high calibre review panel, along the lines of that appointed for the Wright review of the Department of Finance in 2010. All relevant records generated by the review will be available in due course in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act.

I am not in a position at this stage to estimate the cost of the review but, given its short timescale, I am satisfied that the cost can be met within the allocations in the Justice and Equality Vote (Vote 24).