Niall Collins (Limerick, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

290. To ask the Minister for Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation the total legal costs incurred by his Department in 2011, 2012, 2013 and estimated in 2014. [17359/14]

Richard Bruton (Dublin North Central, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Legal costs incurred to date in 2014 for my Department amount to €241,975.61. The estimated total of legal costs for my Department for the remainder of 2014 is €662,290. While it is not possible to definitively predict the amount which will be spent on legal costs for 2014, this figure represents projects of which I have been notified at this point. For example, legal costs incurred by the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement are difficult to anticipate in advance, as much depends on the scheduling of cases in the Courts and on the outcome of those cases.

My Department seeks, where possible, to minimise legal costs and has adopted a number of measures to achieve this. The Department/offices avail of the services of the Chief State Solicitors office and the Attorney General’s office in terms of the provision of legal advice and in terms of representation of the Department/offices in Court cases. The services of legal cost accountants are availed of where fees demanded appear to be high. Additionally, in 2012 my Department completed a tendering process for prosecution and civil debt enforcement services in the case of the pursuance of employment rights cases on behalf of individuals.