Colm M. Hilliard
Ceist:102 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for Justice the reason for the 53 per cent increase under Vote 19 subhead C in the Estimates for the Public Services 1993.
Written Answers. - Estimates for Public Services.
Subhead C of the Vote provides £5.920 million in 1993 for criminal legal aid, an increase of £2.052 million on the provisional outturn for 1992 of £3.868 million. This increase is necessary to ensure the proper operation of the scheme which is an essential ingredient in the criminal justice system.
The increases reflects: (i) an anticipated increase in the number of legal aid certificates which the courts will grant in 1993, over the number granted in 1992; (ii) the additional cost in legal aid fees in 1993 associated with the operation of the Criminal Evidence Act, 1992; (iii) the cost in 1993 of increases in legal aid fees granted to solicitors in 1992, including the cost of arrears; and (iv) the cost of applying Programme for Economic and Social Progress related increases to solicitors' and barristers' legal aid fees from the appropriate date in 1993.
Colm M. Hilliard
Ceist:103 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for Justice the manner in which and where £10.625 million will be spent in 1993 under Vote 21.B in the Estimates for the Public Services 1993.
£10.625 million has been provided in subhead B of the Prisons Vote for 1993 to cover the cost of capital and maintenance works to be undertaken in prisons and places of detention and also for the rental of storage accommodation. This allocation will provide for the upgrading of security, services and the improvement of facilities generally to be undertaken in all prisons — mainly in Mountjoy, Portlaoise and St. Patrick's Institution — including the provision of in-cell sanitation in certain areas.
Colm M. Hilliard
Ceist:104 Mr. Hilliard asked the Minister for Justice where £2.3 million will be spent in 1993 under Vote 22 subhead B in the Estimates for Public Services 1993.
The £2.3 million in the Courthouses Subhead of the Court Vote, Vote 22.B, will be spent as follows:
|
£ |
||
|
1. |
(i) Capital works |
1,250,000 |
|
(ii) Maintenance |
671,000 |
|
|
2. |
Heat, light, fuel |
220,000 |
|
3. |
Furniture, and fittings |
100,000 |
|
4. |
Miscellaneous |
59,000 |
|
Total |
2,300,000 |
A number of projects are under consideration for capital works.