Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)
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Question 528: To ask the Minister for Defence the number of lawyers involved in Army deafness cases who have not prepared bills of cost and whose fees have been questioned by their clients regarding double charging; the number of cases that the Law Society seeks to exclude on the grounds that the bills are over five years old; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26864/06]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The relationship between solicitors and their clients is private. My Department would not, therefore, be in possession of the information sought by the Deputy. My Department has, however, received a total of 152 enquiries from past claimants regarding the amount of award or settlement as well as the legal costs paid in their cases. More specifically, in 4 of these cases the past claimant has approached my Department seeking copies of the Bill of Costs in respect of their hearing loss litigation, as their legal representatives were unable to supply the information sought. In 3 of these cases, the Bill of Costs were obtained from the Chief State Solicitor's Office and sent to the persons requesting the details. My Department does not have details of the Bills of Costs as this is solely a matter for the Chief State Solicitor's Office.

As already stated, the relationship between solicitors and their clients is private. My Department is not, therefore, aware of the number of complaints made to the Law Society which the Law Society believes are excluded from the statutory powers of the Society on grounds of elapse of time.

I have had recent correspondence with the Law Society regarding my concerns about such cases.