Austin Deasy
Question:2 Mr. Deasy asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline (1) the amount which his Department have paid to date in legal fees to counsel representing the State at the beef tribunal.
Written Answers. - Beef Tribunal.
Vincent Brady
Question:62 Mr. V. Brady asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the total cost to date to the Exchequer of the Tribunal of Inquiry into the Beef Industry; if he will outline separately the payments being made by the Exchequer to the chairman and other legal personnel involved in the inquiry; and if he will give details of the total staff numbers involved and the total cost of such staff to date.
Séamus Cullimore
Question:142 Mr. Cullimore asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will give details of the up-to-date cost of the beef tribunal.
Theresa Ahearn
Question:143 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline (1) the salary of the chairman of the beef tribunal, (2) the cost of back-up staff on a daily basis and (3) the number of legal personnel involved in the tribunal, if he will give details of fees being paid.
Theresa Ahearn
Question:144 Mrs. T. Ahearn asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline the cost to date of the beef tribunal.
Ivor Callely
Question:151 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will outline all the personnel involved in the beef tribunal broken down into departmental staff, legal, clerical and support services; and if he will further outline (1) their grade and status, (2) their expenses or agreed fees, (3) the basis for such agreement and (4) the days and dates that expenses or fees have been claimed to date by such personnel.
Ivor Callely
Question:152 Mr. Callely asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will give details of (1) the moneys which have been paid to date to discharge the costs and expenses of the beef tribunal (2) the basis on which such costs and expenses are paid.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 2, 62, 142, 143, 144, 151 and 152 together.
The total expenditure to date on the beef tribunal is £2.6 million. It is not possible at this stage to estimate what the final costs will be.
Legal Expenses
Total expenditure to date on Legal Fees covering the period 17 June 1991-14 April 1992 is £1.6 million. This can be broken down as follows:
Counsel for State £900,000
Counsel for Tribunal £700,000.
The fees payable to the legal personnel have been fixed by the Attorney General's Office as follows:
Senior Counsel £8,400 for preparatory brief plus £1,890per diem.
Junior Counsel £5,600 for preparatory brief plus £1,260per diem.
The Legal Personnel engaged for the State and the Tribunal are as follows:
|
Senior Counsel |
Junior Counsel |
|
|
Counsel for State |
2 |
2 |
|
Counsel for Tribunal |
2 |
2 |
The question of payment for Counsel for other parties concerned at the Tribunal will be determined by the Tribunal in due course.
The Chief State Solicitor's Office is also providing service for both the State and the Tribunal.
|
Deputy Assistant Chief State Solicitor |
1 |
|
Assistant Solicitor |
1 |
|
Legal Staff Officer |
1 |
The average daily cost of these staff is £187.93.
The Department of Justice continue to pay the salary of the Chairman i.e. £67,786 per annum. He also received Commuted Representational Allowances, totalling £10,000 to cover expenditure incurred.
In addition to Legal Personnel there are a number of administrative staff engaged for the Tribunal and for the State.
|
Registrar |
1 |
|
Assistant Principal Officer |
3 |
|
Administrative Officer |
1 |
|
Higher Executive Officer |
1 |
|
Executive Officer |
3 |
|
Clerical Assistant |
2 |
|
Clerical Assistant-Typist |
6 |
|
Court Messenger |
1 |
The average daily cost of these staff is £828.48.
My Department have also engaged the services of Management Consultants at the request of the State's Legal Advisers at a fee of £1,800 per day for ten days from 2 March 1992 and at £1,200 per day thereafter for a maximum of 15 days. The consultancy service will be remunerated at a reduced fee of £800 for each additional day for which it is required.
In addition a member of the staff of the Central Bank was seconded for a four week period from 30 March 1992.