Oireachtas Joint and Select Committees
Thursday, 23 November 2023
Select Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform, and Taoiseach
Estimates for Public Services 2023
Vote 2 - Department of the Taoiseach (Supplementary)
Vote 5 - Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions (Supplementary)
Hildegarde Naughton (Galway West, Fine Gael)
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Expenditure on the subhead regarding fees to counsel is demand-led and dependent on the level of activity in the courts. It is, therefore, difficult to accurately predict. In 2023, there were significant demand-led pressures on that subhead arising principally in the Circuit Court and Central Criminal Court due to the recent increase in the number of judges available to hear trials. This has increased the number of cases that can be heard at any one time. I can give the Deputy a breakdown if she likes.