asked the Minister for Local Government if he will state the present scale of fees payable to county councils' solicitors and authorised by his Department under the Small Dwellings Acts and if it is proposed to reduce such fees and thereby encourage the building of more houses.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - County Council Solicitors' Fees.
I am not empowered by the Small Dwelling Acquisition Acts to authorise a scale of fees to be charged by solicitors of local authorities for their services. My Department has, however, been in consultation with the Incorporated Law Society with a view to securing modification of such fees in appropriate cases. The Incorporated Law Society is considering the matter and I understand that they hope to be in a position shortly to express the detailed views of the profession. In the meantime certain modifications of fees have been made in particular cases.
Is the Minister aware that the solicitors referred to are already in the employment of the various county councils and are in receipt of salaries and would he not consider making representations to the Incorporated Law Society with a view to preventing this overcharging on the part of solicitors?
I thought I told the Deputy I was in fact in consultation with the Incorporated Law Society.
If a local authority is paying a salary to their legal adviser and an individual takes a property from that particular local authority, is it competent for the solicitor who is the legal adviser to the local authority to do the necessary legal work?
That is a separate question.
I think it is a different kind of case from the one referred to by Deputy O'Hara. He is thinking in terms of small farmers who would apply under the Act.