Staff excellence and innovation in the justice and equality sector will be showcased at the Civil Service Excellence and Innovation Awards ceremony being held later today at Dublin Castle. Five projects from the justice and equality sector are among the 32 finalists in the first annual ‘Civil Service Excellence and Innovation Awards’, the overall results of which will be announced at today's event.
From across the Civil Service, 94 projects and teams were nominated as examples of staff excellence and innovation, from which 32 were shortlisted in ten different categories such as excellence in policy, in innovation, in customer service and in skills development.
The five justice and equality sector projects nominated for awards are:
- Modernising Irish Family Law to support social change 2015 (Shortlisted in the category of excellence in policy)
- Enhancing the security of the Common Travel Area - British Irish Visa Scheme (Shortlisted in the category of excellence in innovation)
- Establishing a Mediation Initiative for families (Shortlisted in the category of excellence in customer service)
- Enhancing ex-prisoner resettlement into communities – the Community Return Programme (Shortlisted in the category of excellence in innovation)
- ICT Recycling provided by the Irish Prison Service to Government Departments (Shortlisted in the category of excellence in skills development)
The Minister for Justice and Equality, Frances Fitzgerald, T.D., and the Acting Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality, Noel Waters, have both commended the significant contribution and outstanding achievement of the teams involved in the delivery of these progressive and innovative projects.
Commenting on the awards Minister Fitzgerald said, “The celebration of these achievements is an important recognition of the hugely significant contribution the Civil Service makes to Irish life and society and, in particular in respect of the justice and equality sector, to a safer and fairer Ireland. The projects nominated reflect the recent major successes in the justice and equality area, ranging from landmark and historic initiatives in social policy and international cooperation to enhanced delivery of services through inter-agency cooperation and innovation.”
Secretary General Noel Waters said, “The nominated projects are exemplary initiatives reflecting the very considerable talents, abilities and commitment of the civil service staff of the justice and equality sector to drive reform and modernisation of policy and service delivery.”
Note for Editors
Details of shortlisted Justice and Equality sector projects:
Shortlisted in the category of excellence in policy: Modernising Irish Family Law to support social change 2015
The project involved the most extensive overhaul and modernisation of Irish family law in the areas of parentage, custody, guardianship access for almost 30 years and included, the preparation of proposals, and steering through the Houses of the Oireachtas, for the amendment of the constitution to provide for access to marriage for same sex couples. This led to the enactment of multiple legislative changes and special mention of the team on the floor of the Dáil. The project highlights the value of collaboration and committed expertise in the policy making process.
Shortlisted in the category of excellence in innovation: Enhancing the security of the Common Travel Area (British Irish Visa Scheme)
The British Irish Visa Scheme nominated by the Department of Justice and Equality allows for travel to and around the Common Travel Area (CTA) on a single visa. Previously, many overseas tourists and business visitors who wanted to visit both Ireland and the UK, including Northern Ireland, needed separate Irish and UK visas. As a result of this project, visitors from China and India can travel freely within the Common Travel Area using either an Irish or UK visa. This means that tourists, business visitors etc. will be able, for the first time, to visit both Ireland and the UK, including Northern Ireland, on a single visa. Since the introduction of this scheme there has been a significant increase in the number of visitors to Ireland from both countries, aided by the utilisation of a sophisticated communication system with the ability to transfer biometric and biographical data with the UK when necessary.
Shortlisted in the category of excellence in customer service: Establishing a Mediation Initiative for families
The ‘Dolphin House Mediation Initiative’ was nominated by Legal Aid Board and Irish Courts Service. The project established a permanent mediator presence in Dolphin House – the principal family law venue for the District Court to promote mediation as a way of finding resolutions to disputes and offer support to families at traumatic times. It offers a responsive and innovative solution for families and at the same time relieving pressure on the Courts Service by supporting a more pro-active public service model. Since the introduction of the scheme 1,619 agreements have been reached without recourse to court.
Shortlisted in the category of excellence in innovation: Enhancing ex-prisoner resettlement into communities – The Community Return Programme
This innovative project led the way in enhancing ex-prisoner resettlement and re-integration after custody through the open sharing of data and practices across professional and agency boundaries. The schemes provides for earned temporary release under which offenders, who are assessed by the Irish Prison Service, are offered early temporary release in return for supervised Community Service. Officers of the Probation Service assess offenders as to suitability and motivation to complete the community work. The scheme is applicable to suitably assessed prisoners who are serving sentences of more than one and less than eight years. Those participating are granted renewable temporary release having served at, or after, the 50% stage of their sentence with a condition of their release to undertake Community Service supervised by the Probation Service. The work highlights clear positive outcomes and successful widespread stakeholder engagement, with results for the entire community.
Shortlisted in the category of excellence in skills development: ICT Recycling provided by the Irish Prison Service to Government Departments
The ‘ICT Recycling Project’ was submitted by Irish Prison Service. This project team focused on using an innovative approach to reducing the burden on Government Departments when disposing of computer hardware and by providing this service, up skilling prisoners who took part in the process. The project team developed a strong proposal that convinced Departments that the security of any residual data was upheld. The project currently saves Government Departments in excess of €150,000 annually.