Public Consultation Process

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 June 2018

Tuesday, 19 June 2018

Ceisteanna (254)

Shane Cassells

Ceist:

254. Deputy Shane Cassells asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of public consultations held by his Department or by a State agency under the remit of his Department; the number of replies received per consultation; and the cost of each consultation in each of the years 2011 to 2017 and to date in 2018, in tabular form. [26465/18]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Justice and Equality

The information sought by the Deputy in respect of my Department is currently being collated and I will contact him again in due course.  I have asked the agencies under the aegis of my Department to write to the Deputy directly in respect of any relevant information pertaining to them.

The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 42A

I refer to Parliamentary Question No. 254 for answer on 19 June 2018 in which the Deputy requested the number of public consultations held by my Department or by a State agency under the remit of my Department; the number of replies received per consultation; and the cost of each consultation in each of the years 2011 to 2018, in tabular form.

At the time the question was tabled I requested that the agencies under the aegis of my Department contact the Deputy directly. It is my understanding that agencies responded to this request in June 2018.

As the Deputy will recall, the information he requested in respect of my Department could not be obtained in the time available and I undertook to contact him again. Please see the following table which contains the response of my Department.

The Deputy will be aware that public consultations are often a necessary element of the policy development process. These provide a forum for stakeholder organisations and other interested parties to contribute to the formulation of public policy which serves the purpose of creating more efficient, effective and representative policy outcomes.

I hope this information is of assistance.

Year	Public Consultation	No of Replies per Consultation	Cost €
2011		5 Replies from NGO stakeholders
2011	White Paper on Crime Discussion Document 4 – The Community and the Criminal Justice System	52
2011	Consultation on Review of the Code of Practice on the Sale and Display of Alcohol in Mixed Trade Premises	25
2012	Consultation on European Commission’s proposal for a new Data Protection Regulation	25	Nil
2013	Review of Rent Review	5	Nil
2013		173 (attended symposium)
2014		27	€3,131.70
2014	Ireland’s migrant integration policy	80	€6,465.28
2014	Departmental Strategy Statement 2015 to 2017	15	Nil
2014 / 2015	Firearms Licensing	271	€4,435.67
2015	Consultation on the Draft Second National Action Plan to Prevent and Combat Human Trafficking in Ireland	12 Replies from State and NGO stakeholders
2015
2015	Open Policy Debate on Criminal Justice Inspectorate and ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT)	2 rounds of consultations since debate (17 written submissions)	€1,388.36
2016	Consultation on Data protection safeguards for children (‘digital age of consent’)	17	Nil
2016	Defamation Act Review		Nil
2016	National Disability Inclusion Strategy, regional public consultations	Regional public consultation, approx. 300 people attended	€12,365.40
2016	National Traveller and Roman Inclusion Strategy	Regional public consultation, approx. 1,000 people attended	€13,510
2016	Departmental Strategy Statement 2016 to 2019	29	Nil
2016	Public Consultation to inform the new National Women’s Strategy (November 2016-January 2017)	95 written submissions. 155 participants at four public consultation meetings.
2017	continued….Public Consultation to inform the new National Women’s Strategy (November 2016-January 2017)	95 written submissions. 155 participants at four public consultation meetings.	€
2017		38 written submissions
	Review of Part Three of the Personal Insolvency Act	12	Nil
2017	Realistic Imitation Firearms	16	€3,245.62
2017	Ireland’s combined Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh State report to the United Nations Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination	27	€8,456.35
2017	Consultation with NGOs in advance of Ireland’s appearance before the United Nations Committee Against Torture (UNCAT) for consideration of the 2nd National Report	The consultation was an open mic discussion. Any NGOs or groups who made submissions on Ireland’s report were invited to attend.	€475.24
2018		17,369
2018	10 LGBTI Consultation Workshops	Circa 300 attendees
2018	Consultation on draft National Standards for Accommodation offered to People in the Protection Process	39 online submissions 5 consultation meetings	€8,083.88 to date