Civil service projects in justice sector compete for recognition

Civil service projects in Ireland’s justice and equality sector will compete for accolades at the inaugural Civil Service Excellence and Innovation Awards ceremony in Dublin today.

A total of 32 civil service projects are shortlisted in ten different categories, including five projects from the justice and equality sector. The categories include 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)

Ahead of the ceremony, Justice Minister Frances 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.”

Noel Waters, acting secretary general of the Department of Justice and Equality, added: “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.”