Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I introduced this amendment to Schedule 1 on the third additional list. This makes changes to section 2 of Schedule 1. In determining whether legal costs are reasonable, a legal costs adjudicator shall consider the listed matters where applicable. This safeguards the adjudicator's discretion on the matters listed, which will not all be applicable to every case.The amendments have all been discussed with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission which has welcomed their introduction. The commission suggested the amendments will simplify the legal costs adjudication process and I am very happy to introduce them. I hope Senators will support them. They are intended to ensure that there is a more transparent costs system and that varying factors can be taken into account when adjudicating on costs. Given that the commission has recommended their introduction, I am very happy to go along with that.