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Departmental Bodies Expenditure

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 January 2013

Tuesday, 29 January 2013

Questions (548, 549)

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

548. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the fees paid to each refugee appeals tribunal member, individually, for each of the years 2008 to 2012 inclusive. [3745/13]

View answer

Pádraig MacLochlainn

Question:

549. Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of cases head by each refugee appeals tribunal member, individually, for each of the years 2008 to 2012 inclusive. [3746/13]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to take Questions Nos. 548 and 549 together.

The information sought by the Deputy is set-out in the appendices to this reply. Overall, in line with the reduction in the number of new claims for asylum in recent years, there has been a significant reduction in the number of cases coming before the Refugee Appeals Tribunal. Accordingly, the number of cases and fees paid in 2012 has decreased by approximately 80% over the 2009 levels. The scale of fees paid to Members depends on a number of criteria such as whether it involves a substantive hearing, an accelerated appeal or a case under the Dublin Convention/Manifestly Unfounded process. Within each of these categories, the scale of fees are tiered in accordance with the nature of the work involved such as for an oral hearing, cases of a husband and wife heard together or separate and so forth. The amounts listed include some training costs, particularly in the earlier years and payments in any particular year may relate to work done in earlier years.

The Refugee Appeals Tribunal is an independent, statutory body, established and operating pursuant to the Refugee Act, 1996 (as amended). The business of the Tribunal is conducted in accordance with the provisions of the Act and in particular the Second Schedule therein. In this regard my Department has been advised by the Chairperson of the Tribunal that the work of the Tribunal is assigned to Members commensurate with experience, expertise in particular areas of work and their availability. All Members are barristers or solicitors with at least 5 years experience and are appointed as Members of the Tribunal to act in a part-time capacity.

Due to the fall in asylum applications and the consequential fall in appeals lodged with the Tribunal in recent years, there has not been a requirement since I took office to appoint new members or to consider the re-appointment of Members whose 3 year term of office has expired. However, as the complement of Members currently stands at 13 (from a peak of 35 in 2008) and will be further reduced over the course of 2013 with the expiry of terms of office of current Members, I have decided that a Public Appointments Service (PAS) competition will be advertised shortly. Arising from this competition I propose to appoint suitably qualified candidates as and when the need arises. I should add that a separate PAS competition was recently advertised to fill the position of Chairperson.

Appendix 1: The number of cases processed to completion by each Tribunal Member in the period 2008-2012 (inclusive of all appeal types).

Table 1: 2008

Tribunal Member

No. of Cases processed to completion

Anne Tait, Solr.

11

Ben Garvey, BL

208

Bernadette Cronin, SC

16

Bernard McCabe, BL

269

Bruce St. John Blake, Solr.

8

Conor Gallagher, BL

43

David Andrews, SC

155

David Goldberg, SC

27

Denis Linehan, Solr.

114

Donal Egan, BL

17

Eamon Barnes, BL

10

Eamon Cahill, SC

113

Elizabeth O'Brien, BL

199

Emma Toal, BL

2

Fergus O'Connor, BL

44

John Hayes, Solr.

19

Joseph Barnes, BL

4

Judy Blake, BL

16

Laura McKenna, BL

48

Majella Twomey, BL

81

Margaret Levey, BL

189

Michael O'Kennedy, SC

23

Michelle O'Gorman, BL

400

Nehru Morgan Pillay, BL

21

Olive Brennan, BL

130

Patrick Hurley, Solr.

103

Paul Christopher, BL

15

Paul Gormley, BL

9

Paul McGarry, BL

34

Ricardo Dourado, BL

38

Samantha Cruess Callaghan, BL

7

Sean Deegan, BL

27

Susan Nolan, Solr

54

Table 2 : 2009

Tribunal Member

No. of Cases processed to completion

Anne Tait, Solr.

70

Ben Garvey, BL

152

Bernadette Cronin, SC

35

Bernard McCabe, BL

479

Bruce St. John Blake, Solr.

2

Conor Gallagher, BL

68

David Andrews, SC

105

David Goldberg, SC

85

Denis Linehan, Solr.

123

Donal Egan, BL

52

Eamon Barnes, BL

14

Eamon Cahill, SC

111

Elizabeth O'Brien, BL

195

Emma Toal, BL

71

Fergus O'Connor, BL

194

John Hayes, Solr.

16

Judy Blake, BL

18

Laura McKenna, BL

34

Majella Twomey, BL

134

Margaret Levey, BL

191

Michael O'Kennedy, SC

58

Michelle O'Gorman, BL

377

Nehru Morgan Pillay, BL

139

Olive Brennan, BL

136

Patrick Hurley, Solr.

98

Paul Christopher, BL

144

Paul Gormley, BL

33

Paul McGarry, BL

76

Ricardo Dourado, BL

52

Samantha Cruess Callaghan, BL

5

Sean Bellew, BL

62

Sean Deegan, BL

33

Susan Nolan, Solr

64

Table 3: 2010

Tribunal Member

No. of Cases processed to completion

Anne Tait, Solr.

59

Ben Garvey, BL

103

Bernadette Cronin, SC

31

Bernard McCabe, BL

211

Conor Gallagher, BL

40

David Andrews, SC

129

David Goldberg, SC

55

Denis Linehan, Solr.

99

Donal Egan, BL

30

Eamon Barnes, BL

4

Eamon Cahill, SC

68

Elizabeth O'Brien, BL

96

Emma Toal, BL

72

Fergus O'Connor, BL

159

John Hayes, Solr.

19

Judy Blake, BL

20

Laura McKenna, BL

22

Majella Twomey, BL

71

Margaret Levey, BL

157

Michael O'Kennedy, SC

18

Michelle O'Gorman, BL

344

Nehru Morgan Pillay, BL

148

Olive Brennan, BL

197

Patrick Hurley, Solr.

79

Paul Christopher, BL

143

Paul Gormley, BL

43

Paul McGarry, BL

46

Ricardo Dourado, BL

60

Ronan Maguire, BL

5

Samantha Cruess Callaghan, BL

17

Sean Bellew, BL

162

Sean Deegan, BL

29

Susan Nolan, Solr

45

Table 4 : 2011

Tribunal Member

No. of Cases processed to completion

Anne Tait, Solr.

14

Ben Garvey, BL

50

Bernadette Cronin, SC

17

Bernard McCabe, BL

146

Conor Gallagher, BL

29

David Andrews, SC

57

David Goldberg, SC

6

Denis Linehan, Solr.

18

Donal Egan, BL

6

Eamon Cahill, SC

41

Elizabeth O'Brien, BL

63

Emma Toal, BL

22

Fergus O'Connor, BL

54

John Hayes, Solr.

1

Judy Blake, BL

3

Laura McKenna, BL

18

Majella Twomey, BL

72

Margaret Levey, BL

78

Michael O'Kennedy, SC

4

Michelle O'Gorman, BL

155

Nehru Morgan Pillay, BL

6

Olive Brennan, BL

44

Patrick Hurley, Solr.

45

Paul Christopher, BL

139

Paul Gormley, BL

32

Paul McGarry, BL

16

Ricardo Dourado, BL

54

Ronan Maguire, BL

16

Samantha Cruess Callaghan, BL

2

Sean Bellew, BL

86

Susan Nolan, Solr

31

Table 5; 2012

Tribunal Member

No. of Cases processed to completion

Ben Garvey, BL

38

Bernadette Cronin, SC

8

Bernard McCabe, BL

83

Conor Gallagher, BL

24

David Andrews, SC

14

Donal Egan, BL

5

Eamon Cahill, SC

13

Elizabeth O'Brien, BL

40

Fergus O'Connor, BL

36

Laura McKenna, BL

5

Majella Twomey, BL

122

Margaret Levey, BL

45

Michelle O'Gorman, BL

82

Olive Brennan, BL

27

Patrick Hurley, Solr.

40

Paul Christopher, BL

66

Paul Gormley, BL

19

Ronan Maguire, BL

18

Susan Nolan, Solr

6

Appendix 2: Fees paid to Tribunal Members for the years 2008 - 2012

Table 1: 2008.

Tribunal Member

Amount Paid (€)

Anne Tait

3,128

Ben Garvey

109,321

Bernadette Cronin

9,015

Bernard McCabe

113,641

Bruce St John Blake

3,479

Conor Gallagher

23,292

David Andrews

86,590

David Goldberg

17,793

Denis Linehan

43,500

Donal Egan

9,075

Eamon Barnes

7,024

Eamonn Cahill

54,844

Elizabeth O'Brien

101,878

Emma Toal

1,059

Fergus O'Connor

14,031

Jim Nicholson

484

John Hayes

10,436

Judy Blake

7,647

Laura Mc Kenna

19,179

Majella Twoomey

32,125

Margaret Levey

86,338

Michael O'Kennedy

13,812

Michelle O'Gorman

176,271

Nehru Morgan Pillay

11,803

Olive Brennan

78,704

Paul Christopher

6,958

Paul Gormley

5,233

Patrick Hurley

48,842

Paul Mc Garry

10,085

Ricardo Dourado

25,628

Rory Mc Cabe

3,485

Samantha Cruess Callaghan

13,250

Sean Deegan

6,963

Susan Nolan

27,727

Table 2 : 2009.

Tribunal Member

Amount Paid (€)

Anne Tait

30,297

Ben Garvey

86,037

Bernadette Cronin

15,935

Bernard Mc Cabe

188,539

Bruce St John Blake

1,285

Conor Gallagher

34,139

David Andrews

63,364

David Goldberg

46,533

Denis Linehan

78,340

Donal Egan

24,469

Eamon Barnes

8,154

Eamonn Cahill

46,165

Elizabeth O' Brien

92,277

Emma Toal

26,819

Fergus O' Connor

79,262

John Hayes

6,950

Judy Blake

7,109

Laura Mc Kenna

13,096

Majella Twoomey

55,261

Margaret Levey

97,829

Michael O' Kennedy

33,055

Michelle O' Gorman

178,888

Nehru Morgan Pillay

72,278

Olive Brennan

81,013

Paul Christopher

78,474

Paul Gormley

16,494

Patrick Hurley

51,078

Paul Mc Garry

63,809

Ricardo Dourado

29,828

Samantha Cruess callaghan

335

Sean Bellew

22,681

Sean Deegan

8,664

Susan Nolan

31,271

Table 3 : 2010.

Tribunal Member

Amount Paid (€)

Anne Tait

33,179

Ben Garvey

61,802

Bernadette Cronin

14,171

Bernard Mc Cabe

97,210

Conor Gallagher

23,795

David Andrews

71,824

David Goldberg

29,882

Denis Linehan

61,046

Donal Egan

10,625

Eamon Barnes

2,744

Eamonn Cahill

25,511

Elizabeth O'Brien

11,900

Emma Toal

31,685

Fergus O'Connor

80,780

John Hayes

10,498

Judy Blake

8,371

Laura Mc Kenna

14,388

Majella Twoomey

35,016

Margaret Levey

77,320

Michael O' Kennedy

10,840

Michelle O' Gorman

167,513

Nehru Morgan Pillay

98,174

Olive Brennan

93,150

Paul Christopher

76,762

Paul Gormley

26,465

Patrick Hurley

33,775

Paul Mc Garry

22,397

Ricardo Dourado

28,163

Ronan Maguire

1,336

Samantha Cruess callaghan

8,199

Sean Bellew

68,943

Sean Deegan

8,221

Susan Nolan

22,863

Table 4 : 2011.

Tribunal Member

Amount Paid (€)

Anne Tait

5,772

Ben Garvey

25,916

Bernadette Cronin

7,002

Bernard McCabe

41,041

Conor Gallagher

13,386

David Andrews

30,686

David Goldberg

4,665

Denis Linehan

6,735

Donal Egan

1,308

Eamonn Cahill

15,713

Elizabeth O'Brien

66,146

Emma Toal

10,537

Fergus O'Connor

30,652

John Hayes

1,280

Judy Blake

1,642

Laura Mc Kenna

6,797

Majella Twoomey

25,231

Margaret Levey

42,926

Michael O'Kennedy

2,560

Michelle O'Gorman

69,776

Nehru Morgan Pillay

6,095

Olive Brennan

19,498

Paul Christopher

71,090

Paul Gormley

16,520

Patrick Hurley

18,139

Paul Mc Garry

10,882

Ricardo Dourado

25,047

Ronan Maguire

6,262

Samantha Cruess Callaghan

1,158

Sean Bellew

33,547

Susan Nolan

14,778

Table 5 : 2012 (Provisional).

Tribunal Member

Amount Paid (€)

Ben Garvey

22,831

Bernadette Cronin

4,295

Bernard McCabe

35,554

Conor Gallagher

14,606

David Andrews

7,899

Donal Egan

1,358

Eamonn Cahill

7,784

Elizabeth O'Brien

15,316

Fergus O'Connor

20,160

Laura McKenna

1,301

Majella Twomey

39,109

Margaret Levey

23,939

Michelle O'Gorman

31,414

Paul Christopher

43,733

Olive Brennan

19,033

Patrick Hurley

15,443

Paul Gormley

11,754

Ronan Maguire

5,896

Susan Nolan

2,970

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