Louis J. Belton
Ceist:45 Mr. Belton asked the Minister for Defence the number of meetings he has had with the Law Society to date in 1998; and the progress, if any, made in relation to costings of claims for deafness compensation cases. [22734/98]
Written Answers. - Hearing Impairment Claims.
Denis Naughten
Ceist:77 Mr. Naughten asked the Minister for Defence the progress, if any, to date in his discussions with the Law Society; the date of his last meeting with it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9063/98]
Michael Finucane
Ceist:95 Mr. Finucane asked the Minister for Defence the discussions, if any, he has had with individual firms of solicitors regarding fees charged in relation to deafness compensation claims; and if he will make a statement on these discussions. [22743/98]
Frances Fitzgerald
Ceist:142 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the number of meetings he has had with the Law Society in 1998; and the progress, if any, made in relation to costings of claims for deafness compensation cases. [22760/98]
Frances Fitzgerald
Ceist:145 Ms Fitzgerald asked the Minister for Defence the discussions, if any, he has had with individual firms of solicitors regarding fees charged in relation to deafness compensation claims from members of the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on these discussions. [22763/98]
I propose to take Questions Nos. 45, 77, 95, 142 and 145 together.
The Department of Defence and the Chief State Solicitor's Office had correspondence and a number of meetings earlier this year with the Law Society and with some of the individual solicitors concerned. The general purpose of our communications was to examine the level of legal fees and whether economies, particularly in the case of those firms of solicitors who are acting for a large number of plaintiffs in similar cases, could be achieved.
With regard to the question of fees, I was told that the solicitors concerned were already substantially discounting fees in these cases. I remain convinced that there is further room for reduction. If and when a lower and more acceptable tariff in these cases is achieved allowing me to establish a non-court system of compensation, I will press for further discounts in the level of legal fees charged in these cases. In the meantime the State is in discussion with a number of solicitors to establish whether it is possible to achieve block settlements at reasonable rates. These discussions also include the issue of reduced legal fees. In any case where fees appear inordinate, the Chief State Solicitor applies to the Taxing Master of the High Court for an adjudication.