Departmental Legal Costs

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 11 March 2014

Tuesday, 11 March 2014

Questions (253)

Denis Naughten

Question:

253. Deputy Denis Naughten asked the Minister for Social Protection if she will set out in tabular form, by reference each named firm, the amount paid out in respect of legal fees during 2013 by her Department to law firms in or outside the State for services rendered to it; if she will provide in a similar format the amount paid out in respect of legal fees during 2013 by State bodies including commercial or non-commercial and regulatory bodies established by or under her Department, to law firms in or outside the State for services rendered to it; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [11877/14]

Written answers

Minister for Social Protection

The Department made no payments to law firms in respect of legal fees for services rendered to it in 2013. The Department’s legal advisers are the Office of the Chief State Solicitor and the Office of the Attorney General. The statutory bodies operating under the aegis of the Department of Social Protection are the Citizens Information Board, the Pensions Board, the Pensions Ombudsman and the Social Welfare Tribunal. Payments to law firms by these statutory bodies for services rendered to them in 2013 is set out in the following tables.

The Pensions Ombudsman:

Law Firm	Amount - €
Matheson Solicitors	60,764
Eversheds	47,546
LK Shields	13,413
Paul Anthony McDermott BL	12,977
Nolan Farrell & Goff Solicitors	7,059
Arthur Cox Solicitors	4,167
Alan DP Brady BL	1,230
Total:	147,156

The Pensions Board:

Law Firm	Amount - €
Matheson Ormsby Prentice	18,276
A&L Goodbody	16,759
Mark Lyman	11,193
Michael Delaney	11,132
O’Donnell Sweeney	9,277
Remy Farrell	1,353
Mairéad McKenna	2,030
David Humphries	1,230
Total:	71,250

Citizens Information Board:

Law Firm	Amount - €
Mason Hayes Curran	78,485

There were no legal fees paid in respect of the Social Welfare Tribunal in 2013.