Government approves Final Report of the Review of Organisation and Management of the Law Reform Commission

The Government today;

(1) approved the publication of the Final Report of the Review of Organisation and Management of the Law Reform Commission, dated April, 1997, and

(2) established a consultative committee comprising representatives of the Departments of the Taoiseach, Finance, Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Enterprise, Trade and Employment and Health and Children, the Bar Council and the Incorporated Law Society, under the auspices of the Office of the Attorney General, to

(a) assist the Attorney General in his consultations with the Commission in relation to research programmes,

(b) assist the Attorney General in the selection of specific topics for examination by the Commission and

Deloitte & Touche were commissioned by the Law Reform Commission at the end of 1996 to carry out the review. The recommendations of the consultants include:

- the fixing of a timeframe of about 5 years for the Commission's Programme, with short (1 year) and medium term (3 year) objectives,

- the establishment of a consultative committee comprising key Government Departments, the Bar Council and the Law Society of Ireland under the auspices of the Attorney General's Office,

- staggered terms of office for Commissioners thus ensuring continuity and relating expertise of Commissioners to the Programme,

- the appointment of a full-time President of the Commission who would also be Chief Executive,

- the terms and conditions of Commissioners to include the roles, responsibilities and time commitments of the President of the Commission and Commissioners,

- the assignment of report editing, revising, consensus building and research to the full-time Commissioner,

- the development of a strategy planning document by the Commission consistent with its 5 year Programme and its roles and functions,

- development of management and operating procedures,

- the services of a parliamentary draftsman from the Attorney General's Office to be made available to the Commission,

- the review of the presentation and format of the Commission's Reports and a more proactive role by the Commission in relation to their proposals,

- the consideration by Government as to whether law reform reports should be examined by Oireachtas Committee(s), and

- certain staffing changes and the upgrading of the Commission's Information Technology and Systems.

The recommendations have been the subject of extensive consultation between the Attorney General and his predecessor and the Commission in the period since the Consultants' reported. The Attorney General has agreed to make available to the Commission the services of a parliamentary draftsman for projects agreed with the Attorney, subject to availability and to the Government's legislative programme always having priority. The recommendations relating to information technology and staffing are the subject of ongoing consultations between the Attorney General and the Minister for Finance. Other recommendations are also under consideration.

03 March, 1998