144. (1) As soon as practicable and in any event not later than 6 months after the coming into operation of this section, the Chief Legal Costs Adjudicator shall prepare a strategic plan for the 3 year period following that coming into operation and submit the plan to the Chief Executive Officer of the Courts Service for his or her approval.

(2) The Chief Legal Costs Adjudicator shall also prepare, not later than 6 months before each third anniversary of the coming into operation mentioned in subsection (1), a strategic plan for the next ensuing 3 year period and submit the plan to the Chief Executive Officer of the Courts Service for his or her approval.

(3) A strategic plan shall—

(a) set out the key objectives, outputs and related strategies for the performance of the functions of the Chief Legal Costs Adjudicator and the Legal Costs Adjudicators, and

(b) have regard to the need to ensure the most effective and efficient use of resources possible.

(4) The Chief Executive Officer of the Courts Service shall as soon as practicable after approving a strategic plan under this section, forward that plan to the Minister, and the Minister shall, as soon as practicable after receiving that strategic plan, cause a copy of it to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.