New DPP office to open in Cork amid rising cases in Munster 

Anglesea Street Courthouse in Cork. In Cork, the number of Central Criminal Court cases has gone from 114 in 2019 to 168 in 2022, dropping to 134 in 2023. Picture: David Creedon/Anzenberger

The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is to open a regional office in Cork to help deal with the growing number of cases and prosecutions in the Munster region.

The development is contained in the DPP’s Strategy Statement 2025-2027 and is part of a number of initiatives to cope with a sharp rise in demand for its services and ensuring there are enough solicitors and barristers available to attend additional court sittings.

A DPP spokesperson said: "The reason for establishing a regional office in Cork is due to growing demands and the opportunity to remodel the largest urban and regional centre outside of Dublin to continue to meet the challenges of prosecuting crime going forward. 

"County Cork currently accounts for approximately 9% of the files submitted to the Office of the DPP for direction. There are also currently 12 district courts across the county. In addition, the Central Criminal Court has been sitting continually in Cork in recent years and there are no plans to cease this practice."

The document also cites a huge increase in the volume of digital evidence — including phones, social media apps, CCTV footage, and body-worn cameras — that must be examined and disclosed to defence.

It said it is becoming “progressively more difficult” to balance the legal obligation to identify and disclose relevant material with the duty to protect privacy.

The report says artificial intelligence, cloud computing and data analytics need to be developed to assist, while addressing associated risks.

“The significant upsurge in court activity continues to represent real challenges,” the strategy said.

Since 2019, there has been a 149% increase in the number of court dates in the Central Criminal Court, with a 24% increase in the number of Circuit Court sitting dates in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court over the same period.

As a result of more judges appointed by the previous government, the number of cases before the Central Criminal Court — which hears murder and rape prosecutions — has gone from nine sittings a week at the start of 2023 to 12 sittings by the close of the year.

DPP Catherine Pierse said that there has been a “significant increase” in the number of Central Criminal Court cases heard in venues outside of Dublin — with 517 cases by the end of 2023, compared to 127 in 2019.

In Cork, the number of Central Criminal Court cases has gone from 114 in 2019 to 168 in 2022, dropping to 134 in 2023.

In Limerick, the number of these has risen from 13 in 2019 to 51 in 2023, while the number of Central Criminal Court cases in Waterford has gone from zero to 47. In Kerry, it has risen from zero to 13 in the same period.

In her foreword to the strategy, Ms Pierse said: “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 the work we do and how we do it.” 

She said the DPP “will need to embrace new technologies”, with significant investment in digital and data capabilities.

Ms Pierse acknowledges there are delays in the criminal justice system, affecting everyone, including victims: “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 those involved.”

The Programme for Government commits to increasing investment in the DPP as well as across the criminal justice sector.

In Budget 2025, the Government pledged a funding increase of €11 million, bringing the DPP’s total budget for this year to €72m.