Bertie Ahern (Dublin Central, Fianna Fail)

The Nally report was undertaken when the DPP's office and the Office of the Chief State Solicitor faced significant caseloads. Following a number of reviews, large numbers of new staff were approved. An additional 75 staff were recruited by the CSSO, including 66 in the professional and technical complement, while a significant number of legal clerks, senior legal clerks, staff officers and higher executive officers were recruited to both offices following negotiations and a number of industrial relations cases in 2000 and 2001. Both offices were revamped and the criminal division was transferred from the CSSO to the DPP's office and the unit is headed by the solicitor to the DPP. All these actions were taken and there has been no difficulty since then other than in respect of the issue to which I referred. Staff numbers have increased substantially to more than 400 between the two offices. The transferability of staff between both offices has been useful because it has helped the career prospects of staff. That was one of the major arguments made by staff. Only a handful of posts are vacant and the new grades have been introduced. The issues that created much difficulty in 2000 have been addressed.

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