John Ellis
Ceist:156 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment the number of local authorities which have full-time law officers; and if he will give details in this regard. [20405/96]
Written Answers. - Local Authority Legal Services.
John Ellis
Ceist:157 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment the current position regarding the judicial/legal operations of county councils. [20406/96]
John Ellis
Ceist:158 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment whether there has been any cost/benefit analysis carried out by his Department in relation to the provision of legal services for local authorities; if there is a uniform system in place or if the decision is left to a county manager. [20407/96]
John Ellis
Ceist:159 Mr. Ellis asked the Minister for the Environment the amount spent on legal fees by local authorities in each of the years from 1993 to 1995; and if he will give a breakdown of these amounts in terms of court fees and other fees in respect of each authority. [20409/96]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 156, 157, 158 and 159 together.
Arrangements for the provision of legal services to a local authority are a matter for the individual authority. No analysis has been carried out by my Department in relation to the matter, and my Department has no information on the amount spent on legal fees.
Based on staffing returns supplied to my Department, the local authorities who had full-time legal staff at 31 December 1995 were the county borough corporations of Cork, Dublin and Limerick; and the county councils of Cork, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Fingal, Galway, Kerry, South Dublin and Wicklow.