Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)

Yes but, generally speaking, in a case like that it would only provide for one medical witness or one audiologist's report. In some cases more than one had to be procured to establish the case. That is the difference between party and party costs and solicitor and client costs.

Regarding the 1994 Act, I have checked the Act and, unfortunately, whether by oversight or whatever, it does contain that section. I have the reference to it. If the Act were to be altered, that would be a matter for my colleague, the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, but I believe we have grounds for talking to the Law Society on the basis that the bill of costs was not been produced in many cases and on what is called the section 68 letter outlining the fact that there may be charges other than what is recovered from the defendants, namely, ourselves. I understand that was not issued in many cases.

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