2.1 The three year cycle of our Strategy Statement 2004 - 2006 concluded in December 2006. During the lifetime of the Strategy Statement significant progress was made by this Office in delivering on our key objectives. This progress was facilitated by the continued implementation of the Civil Service Modernisation Programme which provided a framework for the development of the structures, processes and systems that have underpinned the effective management of the prosecution service.
2.2 It is essential for this Office as a prosecution service to continuously strive to enhance the quality of the service that we provide. Our commitments to quality service are set out in our Quality Service Charter and Action Plan.
2.3 The core work of this Office is the prosecution of criminal offences and our performance in relation to this work is outlined in detail in Chapter 9 of this report. In this chapter we look at the developments that took place during 2006 which supported and complemented the core work of the Office and gave effect to the commitments outlined in our quality service charter.
2.4 We consider it essential that our professional staff have and maintain a thorough understanding of the applicable laws and of their role in the criminal justice system. For this reason we invest heavily in legal training. During 2006 a top level Legal Training Steering Group was established to monitor and review our training needs and to oversee the development and implementation of a programme of continuous legal education for our professional staff.
2.5 Of the €433,825 (4.3% of payroll costs) invested in staff training and development during the year, €127,678 was dedicated specifically to legal training. This included attendance at legal seminars and conferences, both nationally and internationally. The Office also engaged the services of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, of the University of Miami School of Law in Florida, to provide advocacy training programmes for staff in our Solicitors Division. The training was specifically designed to develop trial skills for solicitors representing the Director in court.
2.6 In the interests of enhancing interaction and coordination between the two legal divisions of the Office (currently located in two separate buildings) a programme of Legal Network Meetings was initiated. These afford staff members the opportunity of meeting with colleagues on a regular basis to discuss topical legal issues. They also encourage networking across the two legal divisions. The first meeting took place in November 2006 when an external legal practitioner was invited to give a presentation on circumstantial evidence. This programme of Legal Network Meetings will continue throughout 2007.
2.7 A number of interdivisional groups were also established within the Office during 2006, to examine work practices in the Directing and Solicitors Divisions. These groups have been looking at ways to streamline current procedures in order to maximise the efficiency of both legal divisions of the Office.
2.8 In 2006 the Library and Information Service, aided by the library management system and its digital archive, as well as a comprehensive suite of electronic resources, continued to provide timely, relevant and up-to-date legal information. A comprehensive and continually developing electronic collection of court judgments, Garda circulars and internal legal information and research is available to legal staff from their desktops.
2.9 With the libraries of the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor's Office, a Serials Management Project was established to engage a single agent for the supply of journals and law reports to the three libraries in both print and electronic formats for the period January 2006-December 2007. The first phase of this project involving the supply of print material was successfully implemented in 2006.
2.10 The Office launched a Trainee Solicitor Scheme in September 2006. The Scheme is designed to provide an avenue for staff to qualify as solicitors while continuing to work in the Office. The scheme is a logical extension of the Trainee Law Clerk Scheme which the Office introduced in 2004.
2.11 During 2006 we continued to develop our management information framework in order to enhance the services provided by the Office and to ensure that managers have the necessary tools and information to deliver on the goals and objectives outlined in our Strategy Statement.
2.12 Work commenced on the analysis stage of the project to implement a new Case, Document Management and File Tracking (CDMFT) system in 2006. The contract had been signed in December 2005 with Axxia Systems Limited, a UK company with a proven track record in the provision of case management systems to the legal profession.
2.13 The CDMFT system will act as a consolidated single point of access for our legal cases across both legal divisions, and will provide an integrated system to manage prosecution files across the organisation. All outgoing case-related correspondence will be generated and stored on the system for future reference. Selected incoming correspondence will also be stored on the system in scanned format.
2.14 The analysis stage of the CDMFT project involved the documentation of the business processes of all sections within the Office, along with the examination and resolution of the cross-sectional issues arising from a move from a set of disparate IT systems to one integrated database. There were also extensive technical discussions with Axxia to specify the design changes required to their core system software to deal with the business needs of the Office of the DPP.
2.15 In 2007, the software developed will be installed. This will allow for system testing, project team testing and user acceptance testing. It is envisaged that the system will go live in 2008.
2.16 The accounting system installed in 2004 continued to provide an improved service and greater efficiencies. During 2006 we upgraded our software to allow it to process payments by Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT). The system was tested and the first EFT payments were made in the last quarter of 2006. We are now making regular payments by EFT to a small but growing number of our suppliers and are planning a wider scale rollout, including the rollout of EFT payments for all travel and subsistence claims of staff, in early 2007.
2.17 The Office participated in the implementation of the Civil Service Peoplesoft HRMS (Human Resources Management System) upgrade project during 2006. Work on the project took 12 weeks and was completed in September.
2.18 Peoplesoft HRMS provides full support for the Civil Service Human Resource needs and specifically assists with administering the workforce, including enabling the Office to meet regulatory requirements on statutory and other types of leave, to meet training, remuneration and other reporting needs as well as automatically generating employment letters.
2.19 Participation in the Peoplesoft HRMS upgrade means that the Office is now part of the Civil Service Peoplesoft HRMS managed services environment sharing the HRMS database and IT infrastructure.
2.20 The introduction in late 2006 of the new integrated Performance Management and Development System (PMDS) will bring a greater level of coherence to the management of staff. The new model incorporates a mechanism for rating staff for purposes of the award of increments as well as suitability for promotion. A sub-group of our Partnership Committee was established to consider and make recommendations in relation to how best to manage the introduction of the new model into the organisation.
2.21 Subsequent to training being delivered to all staff the new model was introduced in December 2006. Implementation will be monitored and feedback sought from staff in early 2007.
2.22 The Office recognises its responsibility to ensure that it has appropriate control and governance procedures in place. We continue to provide as much information as possible to the public with regard to how we discharge our functions, through publication of Annual Reports, Strategy Statements, Guidelines for Prosecutors and information booklets. Our website is also a source of information for the public and provides a range of information about how the Office operates.
2.23 We are conscious that it is important that there be public confidence in the reliability of the information we provide. Our Audit Committee is therefore charged with the task of systematically reviewing the control environment and governance procedures in the Office and providing reports and advice to senior management. The Committee includes members from outside the public service, one of whom serves as Chairman.
2.24 The Audit Committee's work plan is designed to cover all the major areas over a three year cycle. In December 2006 the Committee completed its first three year cycle. During 2006 the Committee produced reports in relation to the project management process for our new Case, Document Management and File Tracking System (CDMFTS); the Procurement of Barrister Services; and the Revenue cycle.
2.25 The Civil Service Performance Verification Process provides an opportunity for this Office to report to an external group on the progress we have made in delivering on our commitments under the social partnership agreement. In May 2006 this Office appeared before the Civil Service Performance Verification Group and provided details of a range of initiatives which have been, and are being, undertaken by the Office. We also submitted two progress reports to the Group during the year, as result of which the Group deemed that payment of the general round pay increases was warranted based on the progress achieved during the periods under review.
2.26 Interaction and co-operation with other agencies involved in the criminal justice system are essential to the provision of a cohesive and effective prosecution service. During the year a number of initiatives were implemented which served to strengthen our relationship with other agencies involved in the criminal justice system and ultimately streamlined the provision of services through co-operation and consultation between the agencies involved.
2.27 The majority of prosecution files received by this Office are submitted by members of the Garda Síochána. For this reason it is essential that we continue to work with the Garda Síochána to ensure that they are kept informed of legal developments in relation to the prosecution of criminal offences. During 2006 staff from this Office facilitated twenty training sessions for members of the Garda Síochána from Probation Garda level to Superintendent rank. Topics included District Court practice & procedure; fraud investigation; and the role of the DPP.
2.28 In preparation for the implementation of section 8 of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 we also facilitated a programme of briefing sessions for approximately 400 members of the Garda Síochána at Station Sergeant and Inspector levels in the Dublin Metropolitan Region. The purpose of the briefing sessions was to ensure that key decision makers in the Garda Síochána are aware of the policies and guidelines which the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions expects them to adhere to when initiating prosecutions.
2.29 During the year we also worked with a number of specialised investigation agencies in an effort to streamline the submission of prosecution files to this Office in specialised categories of cases. In association with the Department of the Environment, Heritage and Local Government we sought to ensure that all local authorities are aware of our requirements in relation to prosecution cases, in particular planning and waste management prosecutions. We also facilitated training sessions for Enforcement Officers in local authorities in relation to prosecution of offences, in particular those contrary to planning legislation.
2.30 A senior lawyer from our Directing Division is representing this Office on a Steering Group established by the Minister for Communications, Marine & Natural Resources to review existing systems and procedures for monitoring, control, provision of management information, case management, and prosecution of sea fisheries.
2.31 The Office is also working with the Office of the Revenue Commissioners in relation to streamlining the prosecution of revenue cases in various courts on a national level and establishing protocols in relation to the preparation of revenue prosecution files and the subsequent prosecution of such cases in court.
2.32 In association with the Head of Legal Affairs for the newly established Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission, this Office is currently in the process of establishing a protocol that will underpin the interaction between this Office and the Commission in relation to the preparation and submission of prosecution files.
2.33 During 2006 this Office participated in and contributed to various inter-agency groups including the Balance in the Criminal Law Review Group; the Garda Liaison Group; the Criminal Justice Liaison Committee; the Criminal Justice Inter-operability Group; the Supreme Court Computerisation Group; the District Court Efficiency Committee; the Criminal Court Users Group; the Courts Service Customer Forum; the Committee on Language Interpretation within the Criminal Justice System; and the Advisory Group on Crime and Criminal Justice Statistics. We also participated in liaison meetings with the Attorney General.
2.34 We are conscious of the important role which the 32 local state solicitors, who represent the Director in criminal cases around the country, play in the prosecution process. In order to provide an opportunity for local state solicitors and staff of the Office to meet and discuss legal issues we again hosted a State Solicitor Seminar in 2006. The seminar focused on recent developments in criminal law and new legislation. There were presentations on aspects of the Criminal Justice Act 2006, the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006, assets seizure and developments in relation to communications with victims of crime. The seminar was attended by almost seventy delegates which is the largest attendance at this event to date.
2.35 In May 2006 this Office organised the 7th Annual National Prosecutors' Conference in Dublin Castle. The conference was attended by members of the judiciary; prosecuting counsel; local state solicitors; members of the Garda Síochána; staff from this Office; together with others involved in the criminal justice system. Sir Alasdair Fraser, DPP for Northern Ireland, addressed the conference and spoke about the establishment of the new Prosecution Service for Northern Ireland. Other topics included balancing the rights of the defence and the prosecution; similar fact evidence; and the Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006. As always, the conference provided an invaluable opportunity for all those involved in the criminal justice system to come together to discuss topics of mutual interest and to develop essential cross-functional working relationships.
2.36 In November 2006 this Office sponsored a seminar organised by the Irish Centre for European Law. The Director and Mr. Justice Nial Fennelly of the Supreme Court chaired the sessions at the seminar. The topic was the European Arrest Warrant and included presentations from Prof. Dermot Walsh, University of Limerick; Thomas O'Malley BL, National University of Ireland Galway; Angelika Mohlig, EUROJUST; and Patrick Gageby SC. The seminar was attended by staff from this Office; representatives from Government departments; members of the judiciary; solicitors and barristers; and members of the Revenue Solicitors Office.
2.37 On an international level we continued to contribute to and participate in the work of international bodies and organisations including EUROJUST; GRECO; OLAF; Eurojustice; the International Association of Prosecutors; and the International Bar Association.
2.38 In 2006 the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) carried out an evaluation of the implementation of the Convention on Combating Bribery of Foreign Public Officials in International Business Transactions. A lawyer from this Office was assigned to assist in the evaluation process and two representatives from this Office attended three sessions with the evaluation team which were devoted to the prosecution of money laundering and corruption type offences in Ireland. The evaluation has been completed by the OECD and a report will be published in early 2007.
2.39 A similar evaluation was carried out on the implementation of the Convention in the Netherlands. A lawyer from this Office was a member of the OECD Evaluation Team and he subsequently participated in the presentation of the evaluators' report to the OECD working group in Paris in June 2006.
2.40 In 2006 the Director provided reports for the Council of Europe on amendments to the law of the public prosecutor's service of Moldova and Armenia. In his capacity as a member of the Council of Europe's Commission for Democracy through Law (Venice Commission) the Director also provided opinions on legal questions arising in Georgia and Ukraine and participated in legal training seminars in Poland, Italy and Mozambique.
2.41 Representatives from this Office participated in a Council of Europe conference in Ukraine, in relation to money laundering and terrorist financing. While in Ukraine our representatives were invited by the Office of the Prosecutor General in Kiev to participate in discussions on establishing a training programme for Ukrainian prosecutors. The programme will cover the implementation of anti-money laundering prosecution law and procedure in accordance with recommended EC and international standards.
2.42 In November 2006 this Office published revised editions of our two information booklets The Role of the DPP and Attending Court as a Witness. The booklets were first published in September 2003 to foster a better understanding of the work this Office does and to try to improve the experience of victims within the criminal justice system. They are written in a question and answer format and answer the questions most often asked of this Office.
2.43 In the course of revising the booklets we consulted with a number of agencies, including the Garda Síochána, the Probation Service, the Courts Service, the Forensic Science Laboratory and the National Adult Literacy Agency. The benefit of their advice and co-operation contributed greatly to the quality of the information contained in the booklets.
2.44 In order to ensure that the increasing numbers of foreign nationals who are now resident here have access to information in their own languages, the booklets were published on our website in eight foreign languages: Arabic, French, Latvian, Lithuanian, Chinese (Mandarin), Polish, Russian and Spanish. This means the booklets are available in all six official languages of the United Nations as well as three other languages spoken by sizeable immigrant communities in Ireland. The booklets are also available in Braille and audio cassette formats.
2.45 The revised booklets were officially launched in Dublin Castle on 13 November 2006 by Mr. Jim McHugh, Chairman of the Commission for the Support of Victims. Attendees included representatives from various agencies involved in the criminal justice system, as well as representatives from a large number of victim support organisations. This proved to be an extremely worthwhile event and provided an opportunity for members of this Office to meet volunteers from the various agencies involved in the support of victims, as well as other organisations that work with victims of crime.
2.46 In July 2006 we also published a revised edition of our Guidelines for Prosecutors. This is reported on in more detail in Chapter 6 of this report.
2.47 The Irish Language Scheme for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions was published in 2005 in compliance with our obligations under the Official Languages Act, 2003. In the course of 2006 all correspondence received in the Irish language was responded to through Irish. Court proceedings initiated through Irish were also administered through Irish and cases conducted in the Irish language by counsel on our prosecution panel. The Office maintains a bi-lingual website and publishes all Office publications in both the Irish and English languages. A dedicated e-mail address (gaeilge@dppireland.ie) was established by this Office in 2006 to deal with e-mail correspondence received in the Irish language.
2.48 During the year we established a committee to review how this Office interacts with victims of crime. The Group comprises members of staff from the three divisions of the Office together with a local state solicitor, all of whom are involved in communications with victims at various stages of the prosecution process. The work of the committee and developments in relation to victims of crime are reported on separately in Chapter 7 of this report.