Department of Justice (Ireland) explained

Agency Name:	Department of Justice
Type:	Department
Formed:	22 January 1919
Jurisdiction:	Government of Ireland
Headquarters:	51 St Stephen's Green, Dublin
Coordinates:	53.3372°N -6.2614°W
Budget:	€3.27 billion (2023-2024)^[1]
Minister1 Name:	Helen McEntee
Minister1 Pfo:	Minister for Justice
Chief1 Name:	Oonagh McPhillips
Chief1 Position:	Secretary General
Child1 Agency:	Irish Prison Service
Child2 Agency:	Criminal Assets Bureau
Child3 Agency:	Courts Service
Child4 Agency:	Garda Síochána

The Department of Justice (Irish: An Roinn Dlí agus Cirt) is a department of the Government of Ireland. It is led by the Minister for Justice. The department's mission is to maintain and enhance community security and to promote a fairer society in Ireland.

Departmental team

• Minister for Justice

Helen McEntee, TD

• • Minister of State for Law Reform and Youth Justice

James Browne, TD^{[2] [3]}

• Secretary General of the Department: Oonagh McPhillips^[4]

Overview

The mission of the Department of Justice is to maintain and enhance community security through the development of a range of policies and high-quality services which underpin:

• The protection and assertion of human rights and fundamental freedoms consistent with the common good
• The security of the State
• An effective and balanced approach to tackling crime

In July 2014 the department embarked on a comprehensive programme of change, including the recruitment of a new secretary-general following an independent review.^[5]

The official headquarters and ministerial offices of the department are on St Stephen's Green, Dublin.

Responsibilities

The department's main areas of responsibility include:

• Implementing government policy on crime and protecting the security of the State (National Security Committee).
• Providing policy advice in relation to the criminal justice system (Garda Síochána, the Courts, Prisons and Probation and Welfare Services) and supporting the operation of this system.
• Continuing reform of criminal law and certain areas of civil law.
• Playing a central part in the implementation of core elements in the Good Friday Agreement.
• Co-operating in relevant EU and international matters and promoting the Republic of Ireland's interests within the associated areas of responsibility.
• Implementing the Government's asylum strategy and further developing national immigration policy.

Executive agencies

The department has executive agencies, which legally are integral parts of the department but which are managed separately:

• Irish Naturalisation and Immigration Service
• Forensic Science Ireland
• The Probation Service
• Irish Prison Service

Affiliated bodies

Among the state agencies and other bodies affiliated to the department in some way are:

• Garda Síochána
• Courts Service of Ireland
• Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC)
• Garda Síochána Inspectorate
• Legal Aid Board
• State Pathologist's Office
• National Disability Authority (NDA)
• Office of the Data Protection Commissioner
• Irish Film Classification Office (Ifco)
• International Protection Office
• International Protection Appeals Tribunal
• Private Security Authority

No state-sponsored bodies report to the department.

History

In the revolutionary period, the office was known as the Ministry of Home Affairs. The Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924, passed soon after the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922, provided it with a statutory basis and renamed it as the Department of Justice. This act provided it with:^[6] The schedule assigned it with the following bodies:^[7]

• All Courts of Justice and the Offices thereof save in so far as the same are reserved to the Executive Council or are excepted from the authority of the Executive Council or of an Executive Minister.
• Police.
• The General Prisons Board for Ireland and all Prisons.
• The Registrar of District Court Clerks.
• The Public Record Office.
• The Registry of Deeds.
• The Land Registry.
• The Commissioners of Charitable Donations and Bequests for Ireland.

Alteration of name and transfer of functions

The name and functions of the department have changed by means of statutory instruments.

Date	Effect
2 June 1924	Establishment of the Department of Justice^[8]
1 January 1983	Transfer of Adoption to the Department of Health^[9]
3 February 1993	Transfer of Civil law reform, civil legal aid and the family mediation service to the Department of Equality and Law Reform^[10]
8 July 1997	Transfer of Equality and Law Reform from the Department of Equality and Law Reform^[11]
9 July 1997	Renamed as the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform^[12]
27 July 2001	Transfer of Charities to the Department of Social, Community and Family Affairs^[13]
1 June 2010	Transfer of Equality, Integration, Disability and Human Rights to the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs^[14]
2 June 2010	Renamed as the Department of Justice and Law Reform^[15]
1 April 2011	Transfer of Equality, Integration, Disability and Human Rights from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs^[16]
2 April 2011	Renamed as the Department of Justice and Equality^[17]
1 May 2011	Transfer of Charities from the Department of Community, Equality and Gaeltacht Affairs^[18]
1 January 2013	Transfer of Equality Tribunal to the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation^[19]
19 June 2013	Transfer of Censorship of Publications to the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht^[20]
10 March 2015	Transfer of Censorship of Publications from the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht^[21]
1 January 2016	Transfer of Ordnance Survey Ireland from the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment^[22]
1 January 2016	Transfer of the Valuation Office from the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform^[23]
26 July 2017	Transfer of Charities to the Department of Rural and Community Development^[24]
1 January 2018	Transfer of Ordnance Survey Ireland to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government^[25]
1 January 2018	Transfer of Property Registration Authority to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government^[26]
1 January 2018	Transfer of Valuation Office to the Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government^[27]
14 October 2020	Transfer of Youth Justice from the Department of Children and Youth Affairs^[28]
14 October 2020	Transfer of Disability, Equality, Human Rights, Integration and Reception to the Department of Children and Youth Affairs^[29]
1 November 2020	Renamed as the Department of Justice^[30]

External links

• • Structure of the Department
• Spending by the Department

Notes and References

1. Web site: Minister McEntee secures Justice Budget 2024 to build stronger, safer communities . McEntee . Helen . 10 October 2023 . Government of Ireland . 24 February 2024 . The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee today welcomed the significant increase in Budget allocation of over €3.27 billion in current expenditure plus €274 million for capital projects for the Justice sector in 2024, with a particular focus on building stronger, safer communities..
2. Web site: About Us. 17 September 2020. Department of Justice.
3. si. 2021. 251. Justice (Delegation of Ministerial Functions) Order 2021. 18 May 2021. 27 May 2021.
4. Web site: Oonagh McPhillips appointed Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality. justice.ie. 8 September 2020. 13 September 2020.
5. Web site: Reform and Transformation. 13 September 2019. Department of Justice.
6. 1924. 16. 1. Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924. Establishment of the Departments of State. 21 April 1924. 5 October 2019. Irish Statute Book.
7. 1924. 16. y. Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924. 21 April 1924. 5 October 2019. Irish Statute Book.
8. Web site: Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924 (Commencement) Order 1924. 30 May 1924. 13 September 2019. Irish Statute Book.
9. 1982. si. 327. Justice (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1982. 16 November 1982. 13 September 2019.
10. 1993. si. 34. Justice (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1993. 3 February 1993. 13 September 2019.
11. 1997. si. 297. Equality and Law Reform (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 1997. 8 July 1997. 13 September 2019.
12. 1997. si. 298. Justice (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 1997. 8 July 1997. 13 September 2019.
13. 2001. si. 376. Charities and Street and House-to-House Collections (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2001. 27 July 2001. 18 July 2020.
14. 2010. si. 217. Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2010. 18 May 2010. 13 September 2019.
15. 2010. si. 216. Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2010. 18 May 2010. 13 September 2019.
16. 2011. si. 139. Equality, Integration, Disability and Human Rights (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011. 29 March 2011. 13 September 2019.
17. 2011. si. 138. Justice and Law Reform (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2011. 29 March 2011. 13 September 2019.
18. 2011. si. 194. Charities and Street and House-to-House Collections (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2011. 19 April 2011. 18 July 2020.
19. 2012. si. 531. Equality Tribunal (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017. 18 December 2012. 18 September 2020.
20. 2013. si. 255. Censorship of Publications Board and Censorship of Publications Appeal Board (Transfer of Ministerial Functions) Order 2013. 19 June 2013. 21 September 2020.
21. 2015. si. 89. Censorship of Publications Board and Censorship of Publications Appeal Board (Transfer of Ministerial Functions) Order 2015. 10 March 2015. 21 September 2020.
22. 2015. si. 637. Ordnance Survey Ireland (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2015. 1 December 2015. 17 September 2020.
23. 2015. si. 638. Valuation Office (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2015. 1 December 2015. 17 September 2020.
24. 2017. si. 348. Charities (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017. 26 July 2017. 18 July 2020.
25. 2017. si. 573. Ordnance Survey Ireland (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017. 12 December 2017. 17 September 2020.
26. 2017. si. 574. Ordnance Survey Ireland (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017. 12 December 2017. 17 September 2020.
27. 2017. si. 575. Valuation Office and Valuation Tribunal (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2017. 12 December 2017. 17 September 2020.
28. 2020. si. 435. Youth Justice (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020. 13 October 2020. 16 October 2020.
29. 2020. si. 436. Disability, Equality, Human Rights, Integration and Reception (Transfer of Departmental Administration and Ministerial Functions) Order 2020. 13 October 2020. 16 October 2020.
30. 2020. si. 452. Justice and Equality (Alteration of Name of Department and Title of Minister) Order 2020. 20 October 2020. 1 November 2020.