The Department is responsible for two Votes, Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade) and Vote 27 (International Cooperation). There are no state or regulatory bodies under the aegis of my Department. With regard to legal services, my Department generally seeks advice on domestic legal matters from the Office of the Attorney General and/or the Chief State Solicitor’s Office. Depending on the subject-matter, domestic litigation is dealt with on my Department’s behalf by the Attorney General’s Office, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office or the State Claims Agency which engage lawyers to act for the Department where necessary and pays their fees. The Department has a Legal Division, which deals with matters of public international law, human rights law, and European Union law and other relevant legal issues. The Division also acts as agent for the Government before certain international courts and tribunals, such as the European Court of Human Rights. In this regard, it works closely with the Office of the Attorney General, which pays the fees of external lawyers.
The Department’s Missions abroad engage local legal advisers from time to time to deal with a range of miscellaneous matters including property, leases and employment law. The amount paid out in respect of legal fees during 2013 by my Department to law firms outside the State for legal services rendered is set out in the table. The legal services provided to our Embassy in The Hague by Russell Advocaten relate to a local employment matter.
|
Company
|
Location
|
€
|
|
Bamidele Ayura & Company
|
Abuja
|
1,156
|
|
Campbell Fitzpatrick Solicitors
|
Armagh
|
662
|
|
Simont Braun
|
Brussels
|
4,840
|
|
Dra. Estela Rpaula Rotman
|
Buenos Aires
|
138
|
|
Dra. Sylvia Beatriz Paurici
|
Buenos Aires
|
527
|
|
Estudio J P O’Farrell Abagados
|
Buenos Aires
|
1,509
|
|
Dra. Norma B Arguindegui de Segura, Abogada
|
Buenos Aires
|
2,804
|
|
Tetlow Tigwell Watch
|
Canberra
|
338
|
|
Sneddon Hall and Gallop
|
Canberra
|
1,304
|
|
Freeborn & Peters
|
Chicago
|
3,069
|
|
Nexlaw Advocates
|
Dar es Salaam
|
436
|
|
Sebalu & Lule Advocates and Legal Consultants
|
Kampala
|
4,356
|
|
Lenia Lopes
|
Lisbon
|
369
|
|
Rosling King
|
London
|
12,752
|
|
Shamwana & Company
|
Lusaka
|
481
|
|
Couto, Graca & Associados
|
Maputo
|
700
|
|
Sal & Caldeira
|
Maputo
|
1,887
|
|
N&A Law Chambers
|
New Delhi
|
1,292
|
|
Gibbons P.C.
|
New York
|
10,919
|
|
Pelekanos & Co.
|
Nicoisa
|
450
|
|
Bird Richard
|
Ottawa
|
3,621
|
|
Alma & Peak
|
Paris
|
7,631
|
|
Weinhold Legal
|
Prague
|
5,437
|
|
Varul
|
Riga
|
2,118
|
|
Dalla Vedova Studio Legale
|
Rome
|
150
|
|
Consilium Law Coportaion
|
Singapore
|
1,033
|
|
Sorainen AS
|
Talinn
|
689
|
|
Wintertaling Advocaten
|
The Hague
|
5,083
|
|
Russell Advocaten
|
The Hague
|
87,708
|
|
Total
|
|
163,459
|
