merrion street

The Minister for Justice and Equality, Charlie Flanagan T.D. and the Minister of State for Justice David Stanton T.D., today hosted a roundtable event bringing together delegates from across the Department and from the agencies and bodies in the justice and equality sector. Participants included senior management from the Department, Chief Executive Officers, Chairs of Boards and senior staff from the agencies.

Minister Flanagan welcomed this event as a valuable opportunity to share experiences and consider together new challenges facing the sector. This annual Roundtable is one of the forums developed to encourage interactions, build relationships and inter-agency co-operation and enhance sharing of experience and learning within the justice and equality sector and is the fourth time it has been held.

The Minister said:

What is special about this event which is now in its fourth year is that it is a unique opportunity to bring all the agencies together, with the Department, into one room.

The theme for today’s event was Organisational Change in the Justice and Equality Sector with a focus on obtaining the perspectives of those in the wider sector. The Department of Justice & Equality has been going through a period of change for some time. Following the recent publication of the first report of the Effectiveness and Renewal Group, the Department is now entering a new phase of reform with respect to its organisational structure. The Roundtable event afforded an opportunity for the wider justice & equality sector to have an input into this new phase of reform.

The Minister said:

The implications of implementing these recommendations may be most directly felt within the Department and by those closest to the Department. However, there is potential for impacts across the whole sector. The input of the wider sector is critical, in terms of supporting the process and in communicating that change within your own organisations.

The Minister of State at the Department, Mr David Stanton, T.D., in closing the event said:

It will take the whole of the sector backing the recommended approach, and working together, to successfully realise this new vision. But it will be the whole sector that will reap the benefit. I am confident that there is the necessary commitment across the sector to achieve this change.