Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

The Office of the Attorney General is organised into two legal areas: the advisory side, which provides legal advice, and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, which drafts legislation. The number of staff working in the Office of the Attorney General is regularly reviewed to ensure that there are sufficient resources available to carry out the necessary functions of the office, specifically the provision of legal advice and the drafting of legislation. If, in the context of the volume, urgency and complexity of work being sought, the senior management of the office concludes that additional resources are required, an appropriate business case is made to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. If the Department agrees with the case, additional staff are sanctioned and recruitment takes place.

Arising from business cases put forward in August 2011 and September 2012, seven new permanent legal staff have been authorised. One is engaged on advisory work; one, a legislative editor, assists drafters with their work; and the remaining five persons are all drafters, four of whom are already in place, with another one expected over the coming months. Further, in the context of the Croke Park agreement review mechanisms, the office regularly reviews its progress and updates its targets and objectives.

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