Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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No, because one is liable for legal challenges all the way along in the courts. A breakdown of expenditure between legal fees, administrative costs and third-party costs is as follows. Legal fees are €35.58 million, administration is €9.764 million, third-party costs are €6.848 million and other legal payments are €2.55 million. The tribunal is currently dealing with applications for third-party costs. The sole member has indicated that the majority of applications for third-party costs have now been considered by him and there remain only a very limited number of applications which are still being considered. The tribunal determines only entitlements to costs, not the costs themselves. These are usually settled in negotiation, or failing agreement, by the Taxing-Master. To the end of 2016, 60 bills of costs amounting of €14.312 million were settled, for a total of €6.848 million and settlements in excess of €20,000 are published on the Department's website on a periodic basis. A legal cost agent in the State Claims Agency deals with third-party bills of cost from the tribunal of inquiry. Prior to its establishment, claims were handled by the Chief State Solicitor's office, which engaged professional legal accountants to examine them. It is on top of the payments already made, and it is 20 years old.