Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 7 March 2017
368. Deputy Robert Troy asked the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform his plans to bring in a cap on the amount legal representatives can earn and the number of representatives any witnesses can have in the upcoming public enquiry not to impugn the rights of any representative but to ensure adequate use of taxpayers' money. [11842/17]
View answerMy Department is very conscious that there must be careful management of costs relating to the Tribunal into protected disclosures made under the Protected Disclosures Act 2014 and certain other matters following Resolutions. This message has been conveyed to my colleague the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality and officials of our Departments are working to ensure that cost containment is suitably prioritised. This can be a challenging task given that overall expenditure on Tribunals has proven to be difficult to predict in the past. Timescale is also a key driver of total expenditure. This Tribunal is expected to complete its work on Terms of Reference (a) to (o) within one year. The Deputy will be aware that the Tribunals are vested with powers, rights and privileges of the High Court as regards attendance and examination of witnesses. Tribunals also have a significant measure of discretion as to the way in which they conduct proceedings and they generally establish their own rules in relation to the level of legal representation for witnesses. The approach of the new Tribunal to representation for witnesses will no doubt become clear in this regard as it begins to undertake its work. As Minister charged with ensuring appropriate management of public expenditure, I do welcome Mr. Justice Charleton's opening statement that acknowledged the Tribunal will be a drain on resources. It is in all our interests that the Tribunal into protected disclosures can proceed promptly but with some reassurance about cost containment. The Dáil Resolution establishing the Tribunal also noted that it should be completed in as economical a manner as possible.
