Batt O'Keeffe
Question:66 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the plans, if any, the Government has to seek to renegotiate the Goodman Group fees to the Beef Tribunal. [14429/95]
Written Answers. - Beef Tribunal Fees.
Bertie Ahern
Question:67 Mr. B. Ahern asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the Government Office that will be responsible for making a decision on the £6 million fees sought by the counsel for Goodman in relation to the beef tribunal in view of the Attorney General's previous personal involvement in the case. [14452/95]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 66 and 67 together. The legal fees now being claimed were the subject of costs orders made by Mr. Justice Hamilton granting costs at the beef tribunal. As I indicated in reply to Questions Nos. 23 and 32 on 16 February 1995 and Question No. 168 on 21 February 1995 all legal fees payable in respect of the beef tribunal which are the subject of these costs orders will be subject to a decision of a taxing master of the High Court and the strongest possible case will be made to the taxing master to ensure that the fees paid are kept to the absolute minimum.
I understand that the State will be represented at the hearing by the tax-ingmaster by a legal cost accountant instructed by the Office of the Chief State Solicitor. In regard to the Attorney General's previous personal involvement in the case I would refer the Deputies to the reply by the Taoiseach to Question No. 1 on 25 January 1995 and to the Taoiseach's statement to the Dáil on 30 May 1995.