Richard Bruton (Dublin Bay North, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Legal fees relate to cases which require the assistance of counsel as they go through the court system because when cases are brought to court we do not have the in-house capacity to contest them. Decisions have to be made as to whether cases are to be defended and these are made on the best legal advice, sometimes including that of the Attorney General. The move to bring services from the mainstream Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor to the Department is designed to manage cases more cost-effectively.