1. Overview

The Chief State Solicitor’s Office (“CSSO”) is a constituent part of the Office of the Attorney General. The CSSO mission is “to provide the highest standard of professional legal services to the Government, Departments and Offices as economically and efficiently as possible and to support adherence to the rule of law”. The function of the Chief State Solicitor is to act as Solicitor to Ireland, the Attorney General, Government Departments and Offices. The wide remit of the civil business of the CSSO means that staff are involved in many aspects of legal work. The Office provides these legal services for the State across five legal Divisions and services include a wide range of civil litigation services in all courts (including the Court of Justice of the European Union in Luxembourg); conveyancing and property law services; commercial contract services; public procurement and State Aid advice; general legal advisory services; and, legal services to Government Departments and Offices before Tribunals of Inquiry, Commissions of Investigation and other statutory inquiries. 

1.1 Resourcing Methodology used by the CSSO

The CSSO is committed to recruiting and retaining officers of the highest calibre with the qualifications and experience necessary to provide efficient and effective services to Government Departments, Offices and also at Tribunals and Commissions of Inquiry. The CSSO asserts that its officers are its greatest asset and that it holds all the various grades and streams in equal esteem. The methodology for filling vacancies in the Civil Service is as follows;

1. Positions are filled through the use of the CSSO recruitment licence.

2. Positions may be filled by way of open public competition.

3. Positions may be filled via the civil service wide mobility scheme.

4. Positions may also be filled by way of internal promotion competitions or s of interest. 

Appointments to all positions within the remit of the Public Service Management (Recruitment and Appointments) Act 2004 are