Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 748: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has sought legal advice from outside legal advisers; and the fees paid to each such legal adviser in 2004 and 2005. [15774/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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As the Deputy will be aware, legal advice and representation required by my Department, as opposed to certain of the agencies under its remit, is in the main provided via the Offices of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor. In some instances, however, external legal advice is obtained directly for particular tasks.

During the period in question, legal advice was sought by my Department from Mr. Patrick McCarthy, SC, in regard to the preparation of Ireland's response to a Commission Green Paper on the approximation, mutual recognition and enforcement of criminal sanctions in the European Union. The work was completed in 2005. No fees have been paid to date. I can further inform the Deputy that the Irish Prison Service engaged a firm of solicitors in 2005 to provide legal advice on procurement in regard to the proposed development of the new prison complex at Thornton, County Dublin. A total of €43,277.02 has been paid to the firm to date.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 749: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the legal advisers or other qualified lawyers employed in a professional capacity by State bodies under the aegis of his Department. [15788/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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In so far as the State bodies under my Department's aegis are concerned, in a number of instances legal advisors are employed in a professional capacity by the agencies in question in order to provide in-house advice and expertise necessary for the delivery of their respective statutory objectives. Specifically, the Criminal Assets Bureau employs a bureau legal officer, the Equality Authority employs a legal adviser and two solicitors and the Equality Tribunal employs one legal adviser. Legal researchers are also employed in the Office of the Refugee Applications Commissioner and Refugee Appeals Tribunal, one of the recruitment criteria for which is the possession of a legal qualification.

Ruairi Quinn (Dublin South East, Labour)
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Question 750: To ask the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform if his Department has legal advisers of its own, naming the officers in question; and the reason effect has not been given to the recommendation in the report of the review into the law offices of the State (1997) that legal advice should be given to the Government only by the Attorney General and his office. [15802/06]

Michael McDowell (Dublin South East, Progressive Democrats)
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There are no legal advisers employed directly in my Department. However, two agencies operating under the aegis of my Department, the Equality Authority and the Equality Tribunal both employ legal advisers on their staff to assist them in carrying out their quasi-judicial functions.