Organisation information
Bodies under the aegis of the Department of Justice
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Last updated on
Bodies under the aegis of the Department of Justice are listed below.
You will be able to access further information on these bodies and their associative legislation by clicking on the enclosed links.
In accordance with the 2016 Code of Practice for Governance of State Bodies and in the interest of good governance in the public sector, all State bodies are subject to oversight and accountability. Oversight and Corporate Governance Assurance Agreements enable the Department of Justice to ensure that there are robust and effective governance arrangements in place in State bodies under its aegis.
The Oversight and Corporate Governance Assurance Agreements are available.
These are bodies established by law.
| Bodies | Functions | Accounting Officer | Established |
| Courts Service | Manage the Courts, support the judiciary and provide high quality and professional services to all users of the courts. | Chief Executive, Courts Service | Courts Service Act 1998 |
| Criminal Assets Bureau | To target the assets, wherever situated, of persons which derive or are suspected to derive, directly or indirectly, from criminal conduct. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Criminal Assets Bureau Act 1996 |
| Office of the Data Protection Commissioner | Standards, inspections, investigation and enforcement of personal data protection. | Chief Commissioner | Data Protection Act 1988 |
| An Garda Síochána | Policing and national security in the State. | Garda Commissioner | Garda Síochána Acts 1924-2005 |
| Garda Síochána Inspectorate | To carry out inspections or inquiries in relation to any particular aspects of the operation and administration of An Garda Síochána. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Garda Síochána Act 2005 |
| Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission | To receive complaints made by members of the public concerning the conduct of member of An Garda Síochána, exercise power in relation to these complaints, issue guidelines, report results of investigations to the Garda Commissioner and DPP as appropriate, draw up protocols | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Garda Síochána Act 2005 |
| Insolvency Service of Ireland | Operation of personal insolvency arrangements. Authorisation of Personal Insolvency Practitioners. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Personal Insolvency Act 2012 |
| Irish Film Classification Office | Examination and certification of films, videos and DVDs. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Censorship of Films Act 1923 as amended by the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 |
| Judicial Appointments Advisory Board | Identify persons and inform the Government of the suitability of those persons for appointment to judicial office. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Courts and Court Officers Act 1995 |
| Legal Aid Board | Provision of civil legal aid and advice. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Civil Legal Aid Act 1995 |
| Legal Services Regulatory Authority | Regulates the provision of legal services by legal practitioners and ensures the maintenance and improvement of standards in the provision of such services in the State | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Part 2 of Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 |
| Mental Health (Criminal Law) Review Board | Review of detention of patients in the Central Mental Hospital. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Criminal Law (Insanity) Act 2006 |
| Office of the Inspector of Prisons | Inspection of prisons, advisory. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Prisons Act 2007 |
| Parole Board | Recommendations on the sentence management of prisoners. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Parole Act 2019 |
| Policing Authority | Overseeing the performance of An Garda Síochána in relation to policing services in Ireland. | Chief Executive of Policing Authority | Garda Síochána (Policing Authority and Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2015 |
| Private Security Authority | Regulation of the private security industry in Ireland. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Private Security Services Act 2004 |
| Property Services Regulatory Authority | Operation of a licensing system, enforcement of standards, investigation and adjudication of complaints and management of compensation fund. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 |
| International Protection Appeals Tribunal | The Tribunal decides appeals of those persons whose application for International Protection status has not been recommended by the International Protection Office. The Tribunal also determines appeals under the Dublin System Regulations. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | International Protection Act 2015 |
| Judicial Council | Promotes judicial excellence and independence to ensure public confidence in the administration of justice. | Secretary to the Board | Judicial Council Act 2019 |
| Body | Function | Accounting Officer | |
| Irish Prison Service | Provision of safe, secure custody for people committed to prison by the courts and the management of custodial sentences. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | |
| Probation Service | Provision of probation supervision, community service, offending behaviour programmes and specialist support services. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | |
| Forensic Science Ireland | Assist the investigation of crime providing scientific analysis and expert advice. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | |
| Office of the State Pathologist | Provide independent advice on matters relating to forensic pathology and to perform post-mortem examinations in cases where foul play is suspected. | Secretary General, Department of Justice | |
| Criminal Injuries Compensation Tribunal | Considers compensation applications from or on behalf of people who have suffered injury or death as a result of violent crime. | Secretary General, Department of Justice |
| Body | Function | Established |
| Coroners | To look into the circumstances of a sudden, unnatural, unexplained, violent or unnatural death. | Coroners Act 1962 |
These are bodies with an appeal function established by law.
| Bodies | Functions | Established |
| Censorship of Publications Appeal Board | To consider appeals against Prohibition Orders issued by the Censorship of Publications Board. | Censorship of Publications Act 1946 |
| Classification of Films Appeal Board | Appeals in relation to classification decisions made by IFCO. | Censorship of Films Act 1923 as amended by the Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2008 |
| Private Security Appeal Board | Consideration of appeals by members of the security industry against licensing decisions made by the PSA. | Private Security Services Act 2004 |
| Property Services Appeal Board | To hear and determine appeals against certain decisions made by the Authority. | Property Services (Regulation) Act 2011 |
| International Protection Appeals Tribunal | The Tribunal decides appeals of those persons whose application for International Protection status has not been recommended by the International Protection Office. The Tribunal also determines appeals under the Dublin System Regulations. | International Protection Act 2015 |