Director of Public Prosecutions

The Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is the principal public agency for conducting criminal prosecutions in the Republic of Ireland. It is led by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). The agency was founded in 1974, assuming prosecutorial functions previously held by the Attorney General of Ireland. It is responsible for conducting reviews of files prepared by law enforcement agencies including the Garda Síochána and deciding whether to prosecute. It conducts prosecutions in courts in Dublin and directs State Solicitors for cases outside Dublin. It instructs outside counsel to appear in court. History The original powers of prosecution were vested with the Attorney General of Ireland under the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924. Article 30.3 of the Constitution of Ireland provides that: The Prosecution of Offences Act 1974 delegated the functions of the Attorney General to the Office of the Director of Prosecutions. The Act was introduced to Dáil Éireann by the Government of the 20th Dáil. It was introduced by John M. Kelly, the Parliamentary Secretary to the Taoiseach Liam Cosgrave, with the stated dual aim of creating an impartial agency and to refocus the Office of the Attorney General to the provision of legal advice to the government. At the time, some politicians and members of the media suggested that there was "political patronage" given to barristers who were acting a prosecutors in trials. The new agency sought to address that. Most of the Act came into force on 18 September 1974.