History

The first Parliamentary Draftsman, Arthur Matheson, was appointed prior to the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922 and worked to the Law Officer of the Irish Provisional Government. When the Law Officer of the Provisional Government became the Attorney General, the Office of the Parliamentary Draftsman remained with him. The services of the Parliamentary Draftsman were formally assigned to the Attorney General by section 6 of, and the Ninth Schedule to, the Ministers and Secretaries Act 1924. In September 2000 the name of the Office was changed from the Office of the Parliamentary Draftsman to the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel to the Government.