The Gazette 1995

GAZETTE

M EDIWH MARCH1995

L A W B R I E F

Dr. Eamonn G. Hall, Solicitor

to which offenders would contribute.

• The office of Attorney General is to be a full-time position.

• An all-party Committee of the Oireachtas is to begin work in January 1996 to review the Constitution. • A consumer Bill of Rights will be prepared to guarantee standards of service from semi-State companies. • Consideration will be given to strengthening the Competition Authority by giving it enforcement powers and by enabling the courts

The Government and the Legal System

• The feasibility of splitting the two roles of the Attorney-General - that of legal adviser to the Government and Ministers, and of upholding the public interest in the courts of ' justice - is to be examined. • Freedom of Information legislation is to be enacted in 1995 to cover both central Government and the broad public sector.

The Government, composed of Fine Gael, Labour Party and Democratic Left, in its policy agreement A Government of Renewal December (1994) have pledged reform of many aspects of the legal system. • A Commission on the management of the courts is to be established as an independent and permanent • Measures to tackle the backlog of cases to be heard in all courts will be prepared in the context of the Courts and Courts Officers Bill, 1994. • A National Bureau of Fraud Investigation is to be established with a professional staff to investigate allegations of serious corporate or organisational fraud, prosecute where necessary, report fully to the public, in an appropriate way, its findings and actions, with its Director appearing from time to time before relevant Dáil Committees. • A fundamental reform of the Courts system from District to Supreme Court is to be undertaken. • The Criminal Justice Code is to be modernised to take account of new methods of information gathering, judicial skills, use of video and audio equipment etc. • A charter for the victims of crime which will include an immediate review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation system is to be prepared together with the establishment of a "Restitution Fund" body, with financial and management autonomy.

to impose stiff fines on those engaged in unfair competition.

• An Administrative Procedures Act is to be enacted which will vest in

• The report of the "high-level" group carrying out the examination of the Attorney General's Office

the Office of the Ombudsman monitoring and regulating

functions including requirements on the form in which decisions are communicated dealing with the basis of the decision, the right of appeal, the right of access to the

is to be published without delay. This report has been published.

relevant information on the case and the right of a citizen to confer with officers making the decision concerning that citizen.

• Measures will be introduced to improve the efficiency of the legislative process, including additional drafting resources in Government Departments and the Attorney General's Office and legal work is to be contracted out where appropriate and feasible.

This is an ambitious programme: some lawyers will be busy!

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