Vol. 518 No. 6
45 Mr. Quinn asked the Taoiseach when the new proposed position of Solicitor to the Director of Public Prosecutions will be created; if legislation will be required before the new post is created; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [12761/00]
The public prosecutions systems study group recommended, among other things, that the Director of Public Prosecutions should consider delegating to the solicitor to the DPP, certain categories of decision at present reserved to the director. The Government has agreed in principle to the recommendations of the group.
The establishment of an office of solicitor to the DPP and the transfer of functions from the criminal division of the Chief State Solicitor's office to the new office has taken some time because of detailed and ongoing negotiations between the official side and the union side in relation to staffing and resources. It is hoped that those negotiations will reach finality in the near future. When that happens, arrangements will be put in place to fill the position of solicitor to the DPP and, thereafter, transfer of staff from the criminal division of the Chief State Solicitor office to the new office.
It is not anticipated that legislation will be required before the new post of solicitor to the DPP is created.
