Background Information

The Expert Group on the Codification of the Criminal Law was established in January 2003 to consider possible approaches to codification and to advise on the scope and extent of such approaches.

Professor Finbarr McAuley, Jean Monnet Professor of European Criminal Justice Law, University College, Dublin and Law Reform Commissioner, chaired the Expert Group. The Expert Group also included representatives from legal academia, the legal professions, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The report of the Expert Group, published in November 2004, recommended that codification be undertaken on a phased basis using the various tools of restatement, consolidation and law reform in developing and maintaining the code. The Expert Group also recommended the establishment of a statutory Criminal Law Codification Advisory Committee to develop and oversee an action plan for the implementation of the programme of phased codification.

On 1 February 2007, the codification project was commenced with the establishment of the Criminal Law Codification Advisory Committee under Part 14 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006.