Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 193: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the breakdown of spending on the Mahon tribunal; if he will account for the significant reduction in the 2008 Estimate, from €16.3 million in 2007 to €12.5 million in 2008; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [34569/07]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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To date, my Department's expenditure in meeting the costs of the Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning Matters and Payments amounts to almost €71.51 million, of which fees paid to the Tribunal's internal legal team amount to over €40.85 million and third party legal costs amount to €8.06 million. The salaries of the three Members of the Tribunal are paid separately from the Central Fund. The reduction in the Estimates provision for 2008 anticipates reduced expenditure on the settlement of third party cost awards made by the Tribunal in respect of the period to the end of 2002, by comparison with such expenditure over 2006 and 2007. It is understood that the Tribunal does not anticipate dealing with the award of third party costs in respect of the period since 2002 until late in 2009.