asked the Minister for Finance whether he can state the number of cases in which the Department of Finance appealed against awards for compensation for damage to property granted in the Circuit Courts in the financial years 1924-25, and 1925-26 respectively, together with the number of cases in which the original decree was confirmed; the total amount of reductions made in decrees, and the legal costs incurred by the Department in connection with these appeals in each of these years, and if he will further state the number of cases in which no appeal was taken.
CEISTEANNA—QUESTIONS. ORAL ANSWERS. - APPEALS AGAINST COMPENSATION AWARDS.
Considerable labour would be involved in securing information to enable the Minister to reply to the Deputy's question in its present form. The following figures, which are approximately correct, cover most of the points raised:—
(1) The total number of appeals lodged to date against decrees by County Court Judges and Circuit Judges is 611, of which 63 are still outstanding. Of the 548 appeals disposed of, 110 were withdrawn after consideration by the Department of Finance and 68 were settled by agreement with applicants. The number of appeals actually pursued to a hearing was thus 370. The percentage of cases in which an appeal was made and pursued to a hearing is accordingly less than five;
(2) The number of cases in which the amounts of the original decrees were affirmed is 155;
(3) The aggregate amount of reductions on appeal totalled £81,481, including reductions amounting to £7,355, which were effected by agreement with applicants;
(4) The aggregate amount of costs and expenses awarded against the Department on appeal, after deducting costs and expenses awarded against applicants, is £4,156. Costs in some of these cases have not yet been taxed;
(5) The number of decrees against which no appeal was lodged is 7,300.
Do I gather from the President's answer that on the whole the amount of costs awarded against the Minister is equalled by the amounts by which the decrees were reduced?
No; the total amount of reductions on appeal totalled £81,000.