Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael)
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Question 175: To ask the Minister for Finance the status of his proposals to reduce the fees payable at tribunals. [33133/05]

Brian Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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The current position remains as set out in my response to the Deputy's Question No. 93 of 5 October, 2005. As I indicated in my reply, in July last year the Government approved, on the initiative of the then Minister for Finance, reduced fess for all legal representation including that of third parties at tribunals or inquiries established from September 2004, and to existing tribunals and inquires with effect from various dates set in the light of consultations between the Attorney General and the chairpersons of each tribunal or inquiry. The new fees represent less than 45% of the maximum rates previously payable to tribunal or inquiry counsel.

The Government's legislative programme for the current session includes a comprehensive Tribunal of Inquiry Bill 2005 which is being brought forward by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to consolidate and reform the legislation relating to tribunals of inquiry. This Bill will also provide a statutory basis for the regulation of third party legal fees payable by the State and to improve the operational efficiency of tribunals. The foregoing measures are aimed at implementing the Government's stated objective of controlling costs associated with tribunals of inquiry.