The appointment of State Solicitors was transferred from the Attorney General to the Director of Public Prosecutions in May 2007. When vacancies arise for State Solicitor positions the position is advertised and an open competition is run by the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
There are 32 State Solicitor areas. Generally one State Solicitor is appointed to every county outside of Dublin. Exceptions to this rule apply in Counties Cork, Galway, Kildare, Limerick and Tipperary. In County Cork four State Solicitors have been appointed; one each for Cork City, Cork North East, Cork South East and Cork West. In County Limerick two State Solicitors have been appointed; one for Limerick City and one for Limerick County. Counties Galway, Kildare and Tipperary have all been divided into two State Solicitor areas.
The following table shows a list of all State Solicitor areas. The first column shows all areas where the State Solicitor holds a contract to age 65. The term of office of these State Solicitors may be extended by the Director of Public Prosecutions for one or more periods, each period not exceeding one year, subject to a maximum retirement age of 70 years. As these positions become vacant the practice is that they are advertised as fixed term contracts. The second column shows a list of all State Solicitor areas where the State Solicitor holds a fixed term contract.
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Contracts to Age 65
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Fixed term Contract
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Cork City
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Carlow
|
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Cork South East
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Cavan
|
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Cork West
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Cork North East
|
|
Clare
|
Donegal
|
|
Galway West
|
Galway East
|
|
Kerry
|
Kildare North West
|
|
Kildare South
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Leitrim
|
|
Kilkenny
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Limerick County
|
|
Laois
|
Louth
|
|
Limerick City
|
Mayo
|
|
Longford
|
Monaghan
|
|
Meath
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Offaly
|
|
Westmeath
|
Roscommon
|
|
-
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Sligo
|
|
-
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Tipperary North
|
|
-
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Tipperary South
|
|
-
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Waterford
|
|
-
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Wexford
|
|
-
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Wicklow
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