Justice Minister urged to scrap €270k plan to hire researcher to write of department's history

Darragh Mc Donagh

Justice Minister Jim O’Callaghan has been urged to scrap plans for the recruitment of a researcher to write a history of his department at a cost of €270,000, with Sinn Féin describing the proposal as an “ill-conceived vanity project”.

It emerged on Wednesday that the department was seeking to commission a history of its first 50 years, which would examine its key achievements and “vital role” from 1918 to 1968.

The research will be overseen by an advisory group comprising current or former civil servants, along with a number of independent experts nominated by the department, which will review chapters every six months.

If the text submitted by the researcher is deemed to be “unsatisfactory”, their contract may be terminated by the department, according to tender documents.

Sinn Féin’s justice spokesperson, Matt Carthy, has expressed shock at the proposal and called on O’Callaghan to immediately scrap the plan, claiming that there were “far better ways” to spend the money.

“I am astounded that the Department of Justice is proposing to pay a researcher €270,000 to write a history of the department. This is a huge sum of money at a time when, across the justice brief, we are seeing critical underfunding,” he said.

“This looks like an ill-conceived vanity project from a minister whose department has many legacy issues that remain outstanding,” added Carthy.

“I am calling on Minister O’Callaghan to scrap this ill-conceived plan and to redirect the money to support victims of crime in particular.”

The department is planning to commission a researcher to produce a comprehensive history of its first 50 years, based on a thorough examination of primary source material in its archives.

While there is scope for the researcher to shape the overall direction and narrative of the project, according to the tender, the department lists a number of suggested themes that may be examined, including its key policies and achievements.

Other suggested themes include the challenges overcome by the department in maintaining law and order, and establishing key institutions such as An Garda Síochána and a functioning courts system in the Free State.

The project is expected to take 30 months, leaving six months for review and editing. It is expected that the completed research would be published as a book, which should be intelligible to specialists and the general public.

“Given the vital role played by the department [between 1918 and 1968], such a project has the potential to make a unique contribution to our shared understanding of the new state’s early years,” the tender documents state.

The procurement process is being overseen on behalf of the department by Research Ireland, which was established in 2024 following the amalgamation of the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland.

The deadline for the receipt of tenders is April 10th, and prospective researchers are required to be employed by an eligible research body in Ireland.