News

University of Galway School of Law was honoured to welcome Ms Catherine Pierse, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), to campus on Thursday, 6 November, for a special “In Conversation with” event to mark the 50th anniversary of the Office of the DPP held in the Human Biology Building, University of Galway.

Appointed as Director of Public Prosecutions in 2021, Ms Pierse has over 20 years’ experience as a practising solicitor in a range of criminal law and regulatory roles.  She joined the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions as the Head of the Prosecution Support Services Division in 2018. 

During the event, Ms Pierse joined Dr Charles O’Mahony of the School of Law for a wide-ranging discussion on the work of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. She reflected on the role and responsibilities of the Office in Ireland’s criminal justice system, as well as key developments and contemporary challenges in prosecution practice.

Following the discussion, attendees — including undergraduate and postgraduate law students, academics and practitioners — engaged in a lively question-and-answer session.

Dr Charles O’Mahony, Associate Professor, School of Law, University of Galway, said:

“It was a privilege to host Catherine Pierse for this important conversation marking fifty years of the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.  The DPP plays a key role at the heart of Ireland’s justice system, ensuring that prosecution decisions are made independently, fairly, and in the public interest.

The Director’s willingness to engage so openly with students, academics, practitioners, and the public demonstrates tangible commitment to transparency and to fostering greater public understanding of the prosecution process.  From the perspective of open justice, this kind of public engagement is invaluable,  it strengthens confidence in the rule of law and reminds us that justice must not only be done, but be seen and understood to be done.”

This dialogue forms part of the School of Law’s ongoing commitment to connecting students with legal leaders and fostering academic engagement with contemporary issues in law and public policy.  At the School of Law at the University of Galway, we place a strong emphasis on experiential learning, something reflected in our rich programme of guest lectures, conferences, and seminars, as well as the development and embedding of professional work placements within our undergraduate law degrees.  We believe that law should not only be understood in the library or the lecture room, but through engagement with the people, institutions, and ideas that shape how justice is delivered in practice.

The School of Law offers the BCL in Criminology and Criminal Justice law degree and the LLM in Criminology, Criminal Justice and Human Rights.  Through these programmes students gain not only academic knowledge but also real-world insight into how justice operates in practice.  Events like this provide an invaluable opportunity for students to engage directly with leaders such as the Director of Public Prosecutions and to consider the wide range of careers available across the criminal justice system; from prosecution and defence to policy, regulation, and reform.

The event concluded with a light reception in the Human Biology Building foyer, where students and professionals continued the conversation in an informal setting.