Gerard Murphy (Cork North West, Fine Gael)
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Question 251: To ask the Minister for Education and Science if she will clarify what she said in Dáil Éireann on 28 March 2006 with reference to legal costs being sought by the Department of Education and Science from a person, details supplied, as a result of recent court action. [13689/06]

Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The State Claims Agency, SCA, has responsibility for deciding on the issue of costs in the case to which the Deputy refers. The SCA has said that it deals with each case on an individual basis and that its approach here will be measured and sensitive.

The SCA will be consulting my Department on the issue of costs. I agree with its opinion that the matter should be pursued in a measured and sensitive way and I have asked my Department to convey my view that the issue of costs should be dealt with sympathetically. My Department will inform the SCA of this and reflect points made by the plaintiff to me in the course of correspondence. Before a final decision on this matter can be taken by the SCA, it will have to engage with the solicitors for the plaintiff so that it can take full account of her circumstances. I understand that arrangements for that process are now being put into place.