Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)

It is the dramatic increase in the number of cases before the courts that has occasioned this increase in legal fees. This can be illustrated by the fact that this increase has taken place notwithstanding an 8% reduction in fees.

I confirm, in response to Deputy Burton's question, that the position is that this has been applied to all legal professionals. That has also taken place despite the fact that the director took certain measures in regard to the payment of additional fees after certain hours. All of that has been done by the director and the Government to contain costs. The director has gone a long way in containing his own payroll costs and the costs of his office.

This is a demand-led aspect. Because of the independence of the DPP, his Vote must be separate from other Votes. With me and my Department, the Taoiseach bears an overall responsibility in regard to the preparation of the Estimate but the DPP must have a separate Vote to confirm his independence. That is why it is necessary to vary it at this stage of the year. All I am saying to Deputy Ó Snodaigh is that this will be done by any responsible Government and Minister in the circumstances we are in.

It raises questions about the commitment of the Opposition parties to the necessary fiscal controls we must have that they find it surprising we would have insisted on rigorous control of public expenditure at the outset. Better to have erred in that direction than to provide too much at the start. We are now dealing with the necessary contingency that arose, which was not a foreseeable contingency-----

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