The 2021 annual report of the Department of Justice was published on 18 January 2023.1 The report outlines the progress made by the Department to fulfil goals and objectives identified in its Statement of
Strategy 2021–2023.2

2021 in review
A broad range of actions were taken by the Department in 2021. Table 1 provides a summary of these actions.

Legislation
Several criminal legislation Bills were enacted in 2021. These include the following:

• Children (Amendment) Act 2021: It provides for deceased children who were the victims of crime to be named publicly.
• Counterfeiting Act 2021: It provides for updates to Irish law in relation to four pieces of EU legislation.
• Criminal Justice (Amendment) Act 2021: It provides for the removal of mandatory minimum sentences for second or subsequent offences.
• Criminal Justice (Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing) (Amendment) Act 2021: It transposes sections of the 5th EU Anti-Money Laundering Directive, which helps the EU prevent money laundering and terrorist financing via financial systems.
• Criminal Justice (Perjury and Related Offences) Act 2021: It provides for statutory offences related to perjury, subornation of perjury, and the making of specific false statements.
• Criminal Justice (Smuggling of Persons) Act 2021: It provides for three international instruments against people-smuggling. It replaced most of the Illegal Immigrants (Trafficking) Act 2000. The new Act covers a wider range of offences, including intentionally assisting entry, transit or presence, where it is known there is a breach of specific provisions of immigration law. It also covers smuggling into other EU member states and parties under the United Nations Protocol.
• Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) (Amendment) Act 2021: It provides for the transposition of EU Directive 2017/1371, which targets fraud.
• Criminal Procedure Act 2021: It provides for the use of preliminary trial hearings in Ireland. This move is expected to improve the criminal justice system, making it more efficient.

In addition, criminal legislation Bills and a general scheme were published in 2021. These include the following:

• Criminal Justice (Mutual Recognition of Custodial Sentences) Bill 2021
• Garda Síochána (Compensation) Bill 2021
• Garda Síochána (Functions and Operational Areas) Bill 2021
• Sex Offenders (Amendment) Bill 2021
• Criminal Justice (Hate Crime) Bill (General Scheme)

Civil legislation Bills enacted in 2021 provided for amendments to Acts focusing on personal insolvency, civil law, private security services, and land and conveyancing law reform Acts. Two Civil Legislation General Schemes were published in 2021: the Courts and Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill 2021 and the Gambling Regulation Bill 2021.

Table 1: Department of Justice – 2021 in review

* The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD took maternity leave from 30 April to 1 November 2021. In the interim, Heather Humphreys TD was Minister for Justice. Minister McEntee was the first serving Minister for Justice in the history of the State to take maternity leave.

Source: Department of Justice, 2023, pp. 21–34

Progress under Justice Plan 2021
The Justice Plan 20213 was the first action plan that aimed to meet the objectives identified in the Department’s Statement of Strategy 2021–2023.2 The annual report provides progress on actions made to achieve objectives in five areas. What follows is an outline of some of these achievements.

1. Tackle crime, enhance national security and transform policing
For example, the Department of Justice supported ongoing recruitment of Garda members and staff; monitored progress of use of video link technology in criminal cases; in collaboration with other agencies started to implement plans targeting economic crime and corruption; carried out anti-money laundering inspections; worked closely with the Garda National Cybercrime Bureau and supported its expansion to regional hubs; and ensured An Garda Síochána’s connection to SIS II (Schengen Information System), enabling information exchange on criminality.

2. Improve access to justice and modernise the courts system
For example, the Department provided management of the Criminal Legal Aid Scheme, including timely delivery of sanctions for reports provided by expert witnesses, and commissioned research to inform review of judicial numbers and skills, which included drawing on experiences and practices from other jurisdictions.

3. Strengthen community safety, reduce reoffending, support victims and combat domestic, sexual and gender-based violence
For example, the Department published a policy paper on community safety; continued to drive implementation of the Second National Strategy for Combatting Domestic, Sexual and Gender-based Violence; completed an audit of responsibility for domestic, sexual, and gender services; kept implementation of the Victims’ Charter under review; and published results of a research study on familicide; and had an input into and monitored development of specialist training programmes for criminal justice personnel involved in sexual offence investigations and trials.

4. Deliver a fair immigration system for a digital age
For example, the Department published a roadmap of the move to online application processes for immigration services; to increase service efficiency introduced online vetting and an online appointment scheduling system for applicants; completed a process review of the International Protection Process; and developed and implemented a scheme to regulate undocumented migrants.

5. Accelerate innovation, digital transformation and climate action across the justice sector
For example, the Department supported the Court Services in the delivery of their modernisation programme; developed a three-year plan to expand the Criminal Justice Operational Hub, enabling automatic information exchange between criminal justice agencies. This work is ongoing. Of the 321 actions identified in the Justice Plan, 202 were achieved (69%) and 101 (31%) required additional work for completion, as of 31 December 2021.  
 
Conclusion
The Minister for Justice, Helen McEntee TD, acknowledged that this report has brought great pride and reflects the continued collaboration between agencies, offices, and bodies together with the dedication of frontline teams who ensured that services continued during the pandemic. Despite considerable constraints as a result of Covid-19, the Department continued to make advances in policy objectives identified in its Statement of Strategy. This work is ongoing. Minister McEntee, on behalf of herself and Minister of State James Browne thanked all involved for their ‘continued exemplary work and their deep commitment to public service’ (p. 5).1 The Secretary General, Oonagh McPhillips, similarly expressed her gratitude at the efforts and support colleagues have provided across the Department and criminal justice agencies.1

1    Department of Justice (2023) Annual report 2021. Dublin: Department of Justice. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/37948/

2    Department of Justice (2021) A safe, fair and inclusive Ireland: Statement of strategy 2021–2023. Dublin: Department of Justice. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/33820/

3    Department of Justice (2021) Justice plan 2021. Dublin: Department of Justice. Available from: https://www.drugsandalcohol.ie/34725/