John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

Question 10: To ask the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs the number of court actions currently involving his Department; and the reason such actions are being heard. [16653/05]

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

There is one current court action involving the Department of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs. As the matter is sub judice, I have been advised by the Office of the Attorney General that I am not in a position to discuss the stated reasons for the matter.

Dan Boyle (Cork South Central, Green Party)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I thank the Minister of State for his response. The Green Party asked this question in light of emergency legislation that was introduced by the Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs two weeks ago on foot of a number of court actions which were pending against his Department. We live in a society that, sadly, is becoming more litigious. Does the Department, which was established relatively recently, keep statistical information about the number of court actions which have been taken against it since 2002? Can the Minister of State comment on the Department's success rate in tackling such court cases?

Noel Ahern (Dublin North West, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context

I do not have statistics on the matter. The Deputy is probably making a distinction between court actions in which the Department might be directly involved or other cases before the courts in which the Department might be indirectly involved. I cannot provide figures offhand but I am sure there are very few such court actions, if any at all. However, I will try to find the relevant figures and forward them to the Deputy.

There would be normal court cases involving commercial interests, in which the Department might have an interest in that the cases might refer to legislation or have an influence on some of the agencies under the remit of the Department.