State Legal Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 21 October 2020

Wednesday, 21 October 2020

Ceisteanna (16)

Cormac Devlin

Ceist:

16. Deputy Cormac Devlin asked the Taoiseach the number of barristers broken down by junior and senior counsel who submitted applications to the Office of the Attorney General to be nominated as counsel for State work in each of the years 2014 to 2019; the actual number of barristers broken down by junior and senior counsel who received instructions or briefs from the Office of the Attorney General in each of the years 2014 to 2019; and the criteria by which barristers are nominated to receive instructions or briefs from the Office of the Attorney General. [31794/20]

Freagraí scríofa

The Taoiseach

The number of both junior and senior counsel that submitted applications to the Office of the Attorney General to be nominated as counsel for State work in each of the years 2014 to 2019 are detailed below.

- 2014: 10 applicants - 9 BL and 1 SC

- 2015: 35 applicants - 33 BL and 2 SC

- 2016: 34 applicants - 33 BL and 1 SC

- 2017: 70 applicants - 65 BL and 5 SC

- 2018: 33 applicants - 31 BL and 2 SC

- 2019: 30 applicants - 28 BL and 2 SC

The actual number of barristers by both junior and senior counsel that received instructions or briefs from the Office of the Attorney General in each of the years 2014 to 2019;

Figures below detail junior and senior counsel that received instructions or briefs:

-	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Senior Counsel	105	106	103	112	100	119	83
Junior Counsel	254	244	232	261	234	265	206

The Attorney General is guided by criteria that includes: knowledge, skills, experience and suitability as well as the distribution of work amongst counsel, the resource requirements of the AGO and the needs of Government. The Attorney General as the constitutional office-holder has the final say in determining which counsel he wishes to have represent the State.