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About Us In Northern Ireland it is the Government Department responsible for arts and creativity, museums, libraries, sport, inland waterways and inland fisheries, linguistic diversity, public records, and for advising on National Lottery distribution. The Department's remit includes raising the profile of Northern Ireland culture internationally and funds the post of Cultural Affairs Officer at the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington DC. The Department also draws on the expertise of the Education and Training Inspectorate. Our Core Divisions The work of the Department is divided into five core divisions. Culture: - responsible for arts and creativity; libraries policy; cultural and language diversity policy; and linguistic operations. Sport, Museums and Recreation: - responsible for policies on inland waterways and inland fisheries, museums, sport and lottery; Northern Ireland's involvement in the Smithsonian Institution's Folklife Festival 2007; and the London 2012 Olympics. Corporate Services: - responsible for issues relating to accounts and accountability, internal financial matters; central management (responsible for co-ordinating issues across the Department); economic services; freedom of information; personnel issues; the day to day running of the department; media relations; Minister's Office; and statistics and research. PRONI: - responsible for the preservation of and provision of public access to archival heritage records of Northern Ireland. RPA: - responsible for managing the impact for the Department of the Review of Public Administration; responsible for taking forward work on the development of the Irish Language Bill. Our Goals Our goals are to:
Our Minister The Minister for Culture, Arts and Leisure is Gregory Campbell MLA. A profile of our Minister can be obtained here. On 19 June 2008, Gregory Campbell MLA was nominated as Minister for Culture Arts and Leisure. Mr Campbell will be meeting with staff and be briefed on the Department's key issues. Our Permanent Secretary Paul Sweeney is our Permanent Secretary. A profile of our Permanent Secretary can be obtained here. Our Departmental Board The work we do is organised and monitored by a Departmental Board. This is chaired by Permanent Secretary, Paul Sweeney, and includes Deputy Secretary, Edgar Jardine the Directors of our five Divisions, Linda Wilson (Culture); Hazel Campbell (Sport, Museums and Recreation); Anthony Carleton (Corporate Services);Aileen McClintock (PRONI); Stephanie Lowry (Independent Non-Executive Director); and Maureen Bennett, Education and Training Inspectorate. The Departmental Board meets on a monthly basis to examine and take forward the Department’s strategic aims and objectives, manage Departmental resources and monitor performance objectives. It also sets the Department’s standards and values, maintains a transparent system of prudent and effective controls, assesses and manages risk and leads in organisational development. Our Vision and Mission The Department’s vision is of “a confident, creative, informed and vibrant community”. Our vision is for a society that develops and flourishes, becoming more informed and proud of its cultural identity; a society where we unlock our latent creativity, to become even more vibrant and confident in the future. The DCAL mission is “to protect, nurture and grow our cultural capital for today and tomorrow.” Our Service Standards and Complaints Procedure Our standards follow the Northern Ireland Civil Service Customer Service Principles, details of which are available at http://www.dfpni.gov.uk/index/delivery-and-innovation/did-reform/did-psiu.htm/ You can obtain a copy of our Sevice Standards and Complaints Procedure here. If you would like a copy in another format or language please write to Central Management Branch, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, Interpoint, 20-24 York Street, Belfast BT15 1AQ. Alternatively you can request a copy by telephone (028) 9025 8825; by fax (028) 9025 8906; by textphone (028) 9052 7668 or by email dcal@dcalni.gov.uk When you visit the Department:
When you telephone the Department:
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In accordance with our language policy, the Department will respect the wishes of anyone who chooses to be known by the Irish or Ulster-Scots version of their name, or who corresponds with the Department in either of these languages. Requests for information under Freedom of Information, Environmental Information Regulations and Data Protection are administered in accordance with the respective legislation. Further details can be found at www.dcalni.gov.uk under Freedom of Information or by contacting the Departmental Information Manager on 028 9025 4256 or by emailing foi@dcalni.gov.uk The Department is committed to providing you with the highest standards of service. Our aim is to get things right first time. However, if you are not entirely satisfied with any aspect of our service, please tell us and we will do our best to resolve the matter as quickly as possible. If you have a complaint you should bring it to the attention of the person you have been dealing with who will try to resolve the issue quickly. However, if you still feel dissatisfied after this attempt to deal with your complaint, you may initiate the Department's Formal Complaints Procedure. The Procedure is as follows: Stage One: In the first instance please write to the Head of Central Management Branch, setting out full details of your compliant. Your letter should be addressed to the Head of Central Management, Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, 3rd Floor, Interpoint, 20-24 York Street, Belfast BT15 1AQ or email cm@dcalni.gov.uk This Officer will arrange to acknowledge your complaint within three working days of receipt and will issue a response after 15 working days, following an investigation by a senior officer from the Business Area concerned. If a response is not possible within this time we will let you know the reason why and when you can expect a response. Stage Two: If you are not satisfied with our investigation you may write to the Permanent Secretary at the above address, again giving full details of your complaint. The Permanent Secretary will arrange for your case to be reviewed and notify you of the outcome within the timescales set out in Stage One above. Stage Three: Our Complaints Procedure is not a substitute for your right to complain to the Ombudsman's Office. You should note however that the Ombudsman will generally expect you to have taken all the steps of the Department's internal complaints procedure before accepting your complaint. Your complaint must initially be referred to the Ombudsman by a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) or a Member of Parliament (MP). You can contact the Ombudsman in any of the following ways:
Our Sustainable Development Policy Sustainable development is an integral part of the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure's vision of a confident, creative, informed and vibrant community. Our mission - To protect, nurture and grow our cultural capital for today and tomorrow - espouses the sustainablilty theme. A copy of our first action plan for SustainableOperations on the Government Estate which refers to the Interpoint Building (DCAL Headquarters), Colby House (OSNI) and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland can be obtained here.(347KB) Our Resources DCAL employs 298 staff in a wide range of grades and disciplines, both administrative and professional. In 2007/08 the Department had an opening budget of £157.9 million (£114.9. million resource and £43million capital). The Department's opening budget position for 2008/09 is £175.1 million (£110.6 million resource and £64.5 million capital). Our Statutory Bodies DCAL supports a wide range of statutory bodies including the Armagh Observatory, Presentation to MLAs on role of Department On 17 April DCAL's Permanent Secretary, Paul Sweeney, gave a presentation to MLAs on the set up and key issues of the Department. |
