Vol. 513 No. 1
142 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach the reason changes were made to the terms and conditions of appointment for the post of Director of Public Prosecutions between the first and subsequent advertisement of the post in 1999; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1053/00]
143 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if, at any time prior to the appointment of the senior legal assistant in the Attorney General's office as Director of Public Prosecutions, he acted as a member of the committee established under section 2 of the Prosecutions of Offences Act, 1974; if not, the individual who replaced him on that committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1054/00]
144 Mr. J. Bruton asked the Taoiseach if the committee which reported to the Government prior to the appointment of the present Director of Public Prosecutions selected any other candidates; if it indicated any preferences between the candidates selected; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [1055/00]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 142, 143 and 144 together.
Due to legal doubts expressed about the terms and conditions initially advertised for the post of DPP, it was decided to extend the time for applications and to publish a revised advertisement which did not refer to the fixed term non-renewable nature of the post.
Section 2(7) of the Prosecution of Offences Act, 1974, provides that candidates for appointment to the office of Director of Public Prosecutions shall be selected by a committee of which the senior legal assistant in the office of the Attorney General shall be a member. However, the then senior legal assistant in the office of the Attorney General never acted as a member of the committee which selected candidates for appointment to the post of DPP in 1999.
