Department of Justice and Equality

Department of Justice and Equality
Department overview
Formed 22 January 1919
Jurisdiction Ireland
Headquarters 51 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2, D02 HK52
53°20′14″N 6°15′41″W / 53.33722°N 6.26139°W / 53.33722; -6.26139
Minister responsible
Department executive
Website justice.ie

The Department of Justice and Equality (Irish: An Roinn Dlí agus Cirt agus Comhionannais) is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Justice and Equality who is assisted by three Ministers of State. The department's mission is to maintain and enhance community security and to promote a fairer society in Ireland.

Departmental team

Overview

Department head office at St Stephen's Green, Dublin.

The mission of the Department of Justice and Equality is to maintain and enhance community security and equality through the development of a range of policies and high quality services which underpin:

  • The protection and assertion of human rights and fundamental freedoms consistent with the common good
  • The security of the State
  • An effective and balanced approach to tackling crime

In July 2014 the department embarked on a comprehensive program of change, including the recruitment of a new secretary-general following an independent review.[1]

The official headquarters and Ministerial offices of the department are in 94 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2. Its title has changed on a number of occasions as its functions have changed.

Statutes

Statute Effect
1924 Act Establishment of the Department of Justice
S.I. No. 34/1993 Transfer of Civil law reform, civil legal aid and the family mediation service to the Department of Equality and Law Reform
S.I. No. 297/1997 Transfer of Equality and Law Reform from the Department of Equality and Law Reform
S.I. No. 298/1997 Renamed as the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform
S.I. No. 216/2010 Renamed as the Department of Justice and Law Reform
S.I. No. 217/2010 Transfer of Equality, Integration, Disability and Human Rights to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs
S.I. No. 138/2011 Renamed as the Department of Justice and Equality
S.I. No. 139/2011 Transfer of Equality, Integration, Disability and Human Rights from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs

Responsibilities

The department's main areas of responsibility include:

  • Implementing government policy on crime and protecting the security of the State (National Security Committee).
  • Providing policy advice in relation to the criminal justice system (Garda Síochána, the Courts, Prisons and Probation and Welfare Services) and supporting the operation of this system.
  • Continuing reform of the criminal law and certain areas of the civil law.
  • Playing a central part in the implementation of core elements in the Belfast Agreement.
  • Co-operating in relevant EU and international matters and promoting Ireland's interests within the associated areas of responsibility.
  • Implementing the Government's asylum strategy and further developing national immigration policy.

Executive Agencies

The department has five Executive Agencies, which legally are integral parts of the Department but which are managed separately:

Affiliated bodies

Among the state agencies and other bodies affiliated to the department in some way are:

No state-sponsored bodies report to the department.

References

  1. ↑ "Change coming for Justice and Equality department". Irish Sun.com. Retrieved 28 July 2014.
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