13 February 2025

The Director of Public Prosecutions, Ms. Catherine Pierse, has today launched her Office’s Strategy Statement 2025-2027. This Strategy coincides with the Office of the Director Public Prosecutions commemorating 50 years since its establishment in 1975.

The Director outlines in her Foreword that:

For 50 years, the mission of the Office of the DPP has been to provide a fair, independent and effective prosecution service on behalf of all the people of Ireland. It has grown from an Office of just four Legal Officers in 1975 to almost 300 staff at the end of 2024, adapting over the decades to an ever-changing environment. Our new Strategy Statement seeks to build on that strong legacy, as well as on the progress made to deliver on actions under the Strategy Statement 2022-2024.”

The Director acknowledges that the Strategy launches:

…at a time when our operating environment continues to evolve at pace. We have experienced significant increased demands on our service with a marked increase in activity levels across all criminal court jurisdictions. This, alongside the growth in the volume of digital data relevant to criminal investigations, continues to impact on the work we do and how we do it.”

Over the next three years, the work and resources of the Office of the DPP will focus on the delivery of three strategic goals:

1. Driving excellence and high professional standards
2. Maintaining public confidence in the criminal prosecution service
3. Building a culture of innovation and collaboration to support service improvements in the criminal justice system

The Director outlines that:

I am conscious of the pressures and delays that exist across the criminal justice system in progressing cases from complaint to finalisation and of the impact on all of those involved. It will be necessary for all of us in the criminal justice system to work together to effectively respond to the reform challenges that lie ahead and to improve the experiences of people who interact in the system.”

The Director wishes to thank all those who contributed to the development of the Strategy and notes:

While this strategy focuses on the key actions that we will take over the next three years, the broader feedback provided during the process will serve to inform our thinking about a wider range of initiatives that could be taken into the future.”

The full Strategy Statement 2025-2027 for the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions is now available to read here on this website.

Any queries should be emailed to: media.liaison@dppireland.ie

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NOTE TO EDITORS: About the Office of the DPP: The Director of Public Prosecutions, Catherine Pierse, is independent in the performance of her functions. The duties of the Director are to: enforce the criminal law in the courts on behalf of the people of Ireland; direct and supervise public prosecutions on indictment in the courts; give general direction and advice to An Garda Síochána in relation to summary cases; and give specific direction to An Garda Síochána in cases where requested. Click here to learn more about the work of the Office of the DPP. Click here to learn more about our role in the Criminal Justice System. Click here to access our suite of plain English information booklets.