Mary Upton (Dublin South Central, Labour)
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Question 70: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government if the 8% reduction in payments for professional services will apply to adjudicators and mediators engaged by the Private Residential Tenancies Board; if the same reduction will be applied to payments made to members of the dispute resolution committee; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10158/09]

Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)
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Question 87: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government the way, in respect of the announcement of 3 February 2009, it is intended to effect the 8% reduction in professional fees in relation to services provided to or funded by his Department; the amount expected to be saved in his Department's budget as a result of this process; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10154/09]

John Gormley (Dublin South East, Green Party)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 70 and 87 together.

Local Authorities and other bodies under the aegis of my Department have been notified in general terms of the Government decision and announcement referred to in relation to the reduction in professional fees for services. Detailed advice in relation to the application of the reduction is being developed and the Department of Finance and other Departments are being consulted to ensure consistency of application. This advice will be utilised by my Department and circulated to local authorities and bodies under the aegis of my Department as soon as possible. Given the wide variety of contracts under which professional fees can arise, ranging from contracts solely for professional services to construction contracts which can include an element of professional fees, and the different procedures under which contracts were negotiated, it is not possible at this early stage to quantify the actual savings that will accrue. It will be a matter for the local authorities and the bodies under the aegis of the Department to examine all contracts for professional fees to establish whether or not such contracts come within the Government decision and apply the reduction in all applicable cases. My Department is not in a position to respond in relation to specific operational matters of bodies under its aegis.