The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD has published a report on the role of Sheriffs in the State. The Department of Justice and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners established a Joint Review Group to focus on the future role of Sheriffs and to establish whether there is a more efficient and cost-effective system of debt collection.
The report identifies five key areas of focus and sets out 27 recommendations to support the continuation of the office of Sheriff into the future, noting its effectiveness and efficiency. The Review Group also noted that overall debt recovery rates appear to be high by international standards.
Commenting on the findings of the review, Minister McEntee said:
“I am pleased to see the importance of the office of the Sheriff recognised in this report. It is the oldest debt enforcement mechanism in the State and I welcome the recommendations to support and modernise the role to ensure its continued viability.
Key to this modernisation will be the development and implementation of an updated and streamlined joint supervision and oversight strategy between the Department of Justice and the Office of the Revenue Commissioners, and I look forward to that being developed.”
Further information is available in the Department of Justice press release.