Seán Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, Fine Gael)

My point is that the Office of the Chief State Solicitor is more in keeping with each individual case up to the point at which senior counsel opinion is sought. That office is involved from the outset. I respectfully suggest the Taoiseach should investigate the possibility of having such cases recorded in the Chief State Solicitor's office rather than in the Office of the Attorney General. While the offices can communicate with each other, small cases become big cases because solicitors write to other solicitors. It is only at a certain point that a senior counsel's opinion is brought into action. The Taoiseach will find this is happening in local authorities throughout the State and God only knows how much money is being spent by local authorities in dragging out cases.

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