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Legal Matters

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 17 October 2012

Wednesday, 17 October 2012

Ceisteanna (198)

Mary Lou McDonald

Ceist:

198. Deputy Mary Lou McDonald asked the Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources if he will provide details in tabular form for the years 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and to date in 2012 inclusive, of the arrangements entered into by him, any body under his aegis or State agency for which he has responsibility for the obtaining of advice from a senior or junior counsel and or a firm of solicitors; the subject matter for which advice was sought; the names of the barristers' and solicitors' firms concerned and the fees paid; the nature of the work concerned; if in each case the matter was advertised for competitive tender; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [45310/12]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

Details on arrangements for advice from counsels and firms of solicitors entered into by my Department since 2008 are set out in the table below.

My Department administers a very diverse and complex brief. The Department has a small cohort of permanent staff, some 245 full time equivalents at present. Its remit includes oversight of very complex policy areas and direct procurement of major services where protection of the State’s interest must be paramount. This situation necessarily requires my Department to procure specialist external professional advice notably in legal, financial and technical areas to enable it to discharge its responsibility to deliver quality services and protect the interests of the State and the taxpayer. Projects for which my Department is responsible include the intensive and nationwide campaign on Digital Switchover, strategic review of oil refining capability, complex telecommunications contracts such as the MANs and the National Broadband Scheme, and oversight of compliance with the Corrib consent conditions (the cost of which is recouped from the developer).

In addition the very limited in–house technical resources in areas such as geoscience, energy and telecommunications makes it imperative to have recourse to a certain amount of external professional services in these areas. The table below reflects the above context in relation professional legal services. In procuring these specialised services, my Department always seeks to ensure value for money and the keeping of expenditure to the minimum necessary. Details on arrangements entered into by bodies under the aegis of the Department are a day to day matter for the bodies themselves. In relation to the competitive tendering for contracts my Department adheres to the relevant EU Regulations and Department of Finance Guidelines on the procurement of goods and services.

Name of Legal Service Provider

Cost 2008

Cost 2009

Cost 2010

Cost 2011

Cost to Date 2012

Reason for Procurement

Margaret O’Driscoll

€ 6,957.50

€ 27,366.86

€ -

€ -

€ -

Legal advice relating to drafting of the Broadcasting Bill 08

Mason, Hayes & Curran

€ 30,824.52

€ 27,366.86

€ -

€ -

Legal advice on challenge to the Broadcasting Amendment Act 07

Marie McGonagle

€ 7,500.00

€ -

€ -

€ -

Legal advice on Draft Broadcasting Bill 2008

Aisling Martin

€106,271.63

€ 74,116.45

€ 85,003.94

€ 18,367.80

€ -

Advice and legal representation before the Moriarty Tribunal

Diarmuid Rossa Phelan

€144,120.00

€167,311.58

€ 89,727.55

€ 24,200.00

€ -

Advice and legal representation before the Moriarty Tribunal

John L O’Donnell

€ 58,564.00

€ 53,472.15

€ 73,025.92

€ 7,686.53

€33,396.00

Advice and legal representation before the Moriarty Tribunal

Conleth Bradley

€ 43,832.25

€114,521.43

€ 34,509.20

€ 28,943.20

€22,264.00

Advice and legal representation before the Moriarty Tribunal

Lorraine M Higgins

€ 1,936.00

€ -

€ -

€ -

€ -

Engaged in relation to Moriarty Tribunal

Micheál O’Higgins

€ -

€ 7,290.00

€ 1,331.00

€ -

€ -

Engaged in relation to Moriarty Tribunal

Eoin McCullagh

€ -

€ 7,290.00

€ -

€ -

€ -

Engaged in relation to Moriarty Tribunal

Elizabeth Gavin

€ -

€ 1,000.00

€ 25,700.00

€ 28,510.80

€ -

Engaged in relation to Moriarty Tribunal

Claudine M Foley

€ -

€ -

€ 6,655.00

€ -

€ -

Engaged in relation to Moriarty Tribunal

Derry Hand

€ -

€ -

€ -

€ 1,380.00

€ -

Engaged in relation to Moriarty Tribunal

Richard Black Solicitors

€ -

€ -

€197,492.37

€ -

Global Crossing Project: Legal work seeking payment from a liquidated company.

Beauchamps Solicitors

€ 18,264.95

€ -

€ -

€ -

Legal advice in relation to amendments to ESB ESOT

Noel J. Travers (Barrister at Law)

€ 9,075.00

€ -

€ -

€ -

Draft PSO order for REFIT scheme

Matheson Ormsby and Prentice

20, 283.25

€ -

€ -

€ -

Legal Advice on procurement of an ECAS provider

Mason, Hayes and Curran

€ 11,776.33

€ -

€ -

€ -

Specialist Employment Law Requirement

Richard Black Solicitors

€ 1,331.00

€ -

€ -

€ -

Legal advice in relation to Concession Agreement with NDRC

Mason Hayes & Curran

€ 9,273.38

€ -

€ -

€ -

Advice on Schools Broadband Scheme

Arthur Cox Solicitors

€569,579.58

€ 8,649.85

€ -

€ -

Provide legal advice in relation to all aspects of the MANs projects

McCann Fitzgerald

€912,230.96

€ 13,162.46

€ -

€ -

Legal Advice on the procurement of the National Broadband Scheme

Eoin McCullagh

€ 6,050.00

€ -

€ -

Opinion on a matter pertaining to the NBS competition

A&L Goodbody

€ 65,120.21

€ -

€ -

€ -

Legal advice in respect of Bord na Mona ESOP

Beauchamps Solicitors

€ 62,266.60

€ -

€ -

€ -

Legal advice in respect of BGE ESOP

Mason, Hayes and Curran

€ 22,578.35

€ -

€ -

€ -

Legal advice in respect of proposed BGE investments

Matheson, Orsmby Prentice

€ 8,492.07

€ -

€ -

€ -

Legal advice in respect of sale of Irish National Petroleum Corporation

A & L Goodbody

€ 65,037.50

€ -

€ -

Legal advice regarding the proposal from ESB for the acquisition by that company of Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE).

Arthur Cox Solicitors

€ 42,945.98

€ 20,502.92

€ -

€163,717.04

€ -

Legal advice in respect of the Corrib Gas Pipeline & the Seven Heads Lease

Mason, Hayes and Curran

€ -

€ -

€ - licence holder

€ 62,530.37

€25,719.30

Legal services related to the procurement process to appoint a postcode management

Barr
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