Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 July 2018
89. Deputy Mattie McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the expenditure incurred by his Department in respect of legal fees in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [32527/18]
Amharc ar fhreagra161. Deputy Richard Boyd Barrett asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount paid for external legal services in each of the years 2012 to 2017; the details of these payments; the companies that received the payments; the amount received by each company; the hourly rates that applied to each company; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [35398/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraI propose to take Questions Nos. 89 and 161 together.
My Department generally seeks advice on domestic legal matters from the Office of the Attorney General and/or the Chief State Solicitor’s Office.
Depending on the subject-matter, litigation is dealt with on my Department’s behalf by the Attorney General’s Office, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office or the State Claims Agency which engage lawyers to act for the Department where necessary. The costs of any external solicitors or counsel engaged for such matters are not charged to my Department’s Votes.
The Department has not engaged external legal advice for any of the years 2015, 2016 and 2017. In the time available it was not possible to provide details on such services in each of the years 2012, 2013 and 2014.
The Department’s 80 Missions abroad engage local legal advisers from time to time to deal with a range of miscellaneous matters. The costs incurred are relatively small and gathering and compiling the detailed data requested by the Deputy in the time available is not possible.
