Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

As the Deputy will be aware, the recommendation of the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland on this issue was accepted in principle at the time of publication, subject to further evaluation of the implications, including resource implications, how best it might be achieved and the timing of implementation. A high-level review group, HLRG, on the role of An Garda Síochána in the public prosecution system was established in September 2020 to conduct this evaluation and recommend a preferred option for consideration by the Government. The group is to report to the Government via the Department of the Taoiseach to take account of the independence of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP.

I am grateful to the chair of the group, a former Secretary General to the Government, Mr. Dermot McCarthy. His group comprises representatives of stakeholders, including relevant Departments, the Judiciary, An Garda Síochána, the DPP, the State Solicitors Association, the NGO sector, academics and legal practitioners. The group's work will be grounded in empirical analysis, applying the experience and expertise of its members, to prepare recommendations for the Government. In considering the implications of changes to this system recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland, the group will have particular regard to international best practice and the experience of relevant jurisdictions that made changes to their prosecution systems over recent years; the experience of operating different prosecution procedures in the Dublin metropolitan region by comparison with the rest of the country; and the cost of current practices and policies to serve as a benchmark in evaluating options for change.

The group submitted an interim report to me on its work in accordance with its terms of reference in the first quarter of 2021. While not strictly required under their terms of reference, a second interim report in respect of the group's activity during 2021 was submitted late last year.

The group is very conscious of the need to ensure that Ireland's prosecution system fits within the international standards and norms expected of a developed democracy and to take advantage of the lessons learned in other jurisdictions in their experience of reforming their prosecution services.

With the international research and a time-and-effort survey within An Garda now completed, I understand the group has developed a broader insight into the nuances of the public prosecution system and is well placed to finalise its work. The recommendations are to be the subject of the group's final report to the Government. It is expected that the group and chair will be in a position to complete the report during the second quarter of this year; again, before the summer. Therefore, we have a lot coming before the summer.

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