DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW REFORM OF JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW DEPARTMENT DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW REFORM Working for a Safer, Fairer Ireland Working for a Safer, Fairer Ireland for a Safer, Working ANNUAL REPORT 2007 ANNUAL REPORT DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW REFORM Working for a Safer, Fairer Ireland Pinebrook House, 71/74 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 Bishop’s Square, Redmond’s Hill, Dublin 2 Montague Court, Montague Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01-6028202 ANNUAL REPORT 2007 Fax: 01-6615461 Lo-Call: 1890 221 227 Website: www.justice.ie Email: [email protected] Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform Pinebrook House, 71/74 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 Bishop’s Square, Redmond’s Hill, Dublin 2 Montague Court, Montague Street, Dublin 2 Tel: 01-6028202 Fax: 01-6615461 Lo-Call: 1890 221 227 Website: www.justice.ie Email: [email protected] Office of the Minister for Integration Dún Aimhirgin, 43-49 Mespil Road, Dublin 4 Minister’s Office & Secretary General’s Office 94 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2 Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS) 13-14 Burgh Quay, Dublin 2 Tel: 01-6167700 Lo-Call: 1890 551 500 Financial Shared Services Killarney, Co. Kerry Tel: 064-70300 Design/Printing by Brunswick Press Ltd. This document is available on the Department’s website www.justice.ie Copies of this document may be obtained from: Organisation Development Unit, Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Pinebrook House, 71/74 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 An Irish version of this document is also available. 30-01 07/08 (1,500) Brunswick Press Ltd. (20865) PRN A8/0624 2 ANNUAL REPORT 2007 CONTENTS Foreword by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform Brian Lenihan, T.D 4 About the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform 6 Introduction by Secretary General 7 High Level Goals 9 1. Tackling Crime 11 2. Developing Criminal Justice Services 22 3. Asylum, Immigration and Citizenship 27 4. Promoting a Fair, Tolerant and Caring Society 33 5. Contributing to a Secure and Peaceful Society 38 6. Civil Law Reform 41 7. Business Delivery and Modernisation 45 Appendices: Appendix 1: Organisation Chart 51 Appendix 2: Annual Output Statement 2008 52 Appendix 3: Asylum and Immigration Tables 68 ANNUAL REPORT 2007 3 FOREWORD BY MINISTER FOR JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW REFORM BRIAN LENIHAN, T.D. Minister of State Minister of State Minister of State Minister of State Brendan Smith, T.D. Conor Lenihan, T.D. Jimmy Devins, T.D. Seán Power, T.D. This is the first Annual Report to be presented by me as Minister. The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, through its programmes and activities, touches the lives of our citizens in many ways. I am extremely aware of the great responsibility and indeed honour that has been placed on me to reform our laws, bring accountable government to the people, and meet the many challenges that arise. The Government has set me as Minister, and the Department as a whole, a challenging agenda in terms of our shared commitments under the Agreed Programme for Government, the National Development Plan and Towards 2016. This Annual Report sets out the progress we have achieved looking forward to what is a five-year programme of change and development. Our aim, as ever, is to make Ireland a safer and more equitable society for the benefit of all. Tackling crime remains a key priority. An Garda Síochána has never been better equipped, better resourced and better organised to respond to ever-changing crime patterns. My appointment as Minister also coincides with the appointment of a new Garda Commissioner. I wish him well and look forward to working closely with him as we deepen the structural and organisational reform of the Force and proceed with a modernisation agenda. The creation of the Garda Reserve, the major civilianisation programme and the continuing accelerated recruitment to the Force all serve to create a highly-visible, community-focused, front-line policing organisation. The accountability mechanisms provided under the Garda Síochána Act are now fully operational and also contribute significantly to enhancing the effectiveness of the Force. The modernisation plans for our prisons continued apace in 2007. Important new security arrangements have been put in place which will ensure that those sentenced by the courts are properly supervised and do not have the opportunities to continue their criminal activities from behind bars. These arrangements will also tackle the scourge of drug abuse in our prisons. The Prisons Act 2007 was signed into law on 31 March 2007 and is key to the ongoing modernisation and reform of the Prison Service. We now have a statutory Inspector of Prisons, and new Prison Rules encompassing best international practice came into effect on 1 October 2007. The Rules represent the first major review of prison regulations since 1947. Necessary new building projects, including the Thornton Hall replacement for Mountjoy, were progressed to an aggressive timeframe with a preferred bidder identified in April 2007. The Thornton Hall site is the single largest capital project ever undertaken by the Department and a special statutory development consent process enacted in the Prisons Act, 2007 applies to the project. The Irish Youth Justice Service is now a key component of my Department and, under the Children Act, 2001, the new Irish Youth Justice Service was established with a view to modernising and reforming youth justice provisions. It provides an overarching strategic plan governing the operational relationship of key stakeholders. Cosc - the National Office for the Prevention of Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence - was set up in June 2007. This is the first time there has been a dedicated Government office with the key responsibility to ensure the delivery of a well co-ordinated “whole of Government” response to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence. Improving the effectiveness and integrity of the State’s Immigration system continued to be addressed in a comprehensive manner in 2007 through the Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service (INIS). The Immigration, Residence and Protection Bill 2007 set out a legislative framework for the management of inward migration to Ireland and represented a comprehensive overhaul of the State’s immigration and protection laws dating back to the Aliens Act of 1935. Important infrastructural developments were advanced which will afford better customer service provision and protection of national security and border protection. We have seen great strides in the developing normalisation of governance arrangements in Northern Ireland and we can record that the goal of achieving a secure and peaceful society there is well and truly advanced. The progress outlined in this Annual Report reflects well on the dedication and commitment of the staff of the Department, its agencies and associated bodies. On my own behalf, and on behalf of my Ministers of State, I would like to thank everyone concerned. Brian Lenihan, T.D. Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform ANNUAL REPORT 2007 5 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW REFORM The Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform’s work programme upholds the highest values and addresses the deepest concerns of our society. Our collective mission is to help make Ireland a safer and fairer place in which to live and work, visit and do business. The remit of the Justice family of agencies and services stretches across a range of human concerns and touches on every aspect of national life from child protection and involvement in Inquiries and Tribunals to all elements involved in crime and punishment and the courts system, from the buying and selling of property to a range of immigration services and the areas of disability and diversity. On the international front, the Minister and the Department manage the interests of Ireland in relation to Justice and Home Affairs matters by participating fully in the European Union, the Council of Europe and the United Nations. Department Structure The Department is structured around ten areas. Each area is comprised of one or more Divisions and is headed by a member of the Management Advisory Committee: Ë Crime, Security and Northern Ireland, Mutual Assistance and Extradition Ë An Garda Síochána Ë Prisons and Probation and Welfare Policy Ë Criminal Law Reform and Human Rights Ë Civil Law Reform, Courts Policy, Equality and Disability Ë EU/International Matters Ë Asylum, Immigration and Citizenship Ë Reception and Integration Agency Ë Youth Justice Ë Human Resources, Corporate Services, Organisation Development, Project Development, Finance, Internal Audit and IT Across all its votes the Department was responsible for a budget of � 2.45bn in 2007 which compares to a budget of � 2.21bn in 2006. 6 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE, EQUALITY AND LAW REFORM INTRODUCTION BY THE SECRETARY GENERAL SEÁN AYLWARD 2007 was a year of considerable endeavour and extensive activity by our Department. We hope this document reflects the character of the work we carry out on behalf of the people and Government of Ireland. I want to record here the deep loyalty and commitment demonstrated by our staff at all levels, day in day out, at all hours, throughout the year under review. We may not have reached every target we set ourselves for 2007. However, I am confident that a “safer, fairer Ireland” will result from our efforts during the year. Ours is a rather complex organisation but the values of honesty and courtesy are central to every task we are called upon to carry out. We will continue to strive to achieve higher levels of performance within our organisation in 2008. We look forward to recording further solid progress by year’s end. Finally, I want to acknowledge here the wonderful co-operation we experienced in the past year with the leadership and staff at all levels in the many agencies which make up the Justice “family”.