Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 183: To ask the Minister for Finance the annual expenditure on external legal costs by his Department in each of the past five years; the annual expenditure on external legal costs by each of the agencies under his aegis in each of the past five years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17841/09]

Brian Lenihan Jnr (Dublin West, Fianna Fail)
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In general, my department uses the services of the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Chief State Solicitor, and seeks outside legal advisors in circumstances requiring legal services of a specific and/or specialist nature. The guidelines on the engagement of external support apply in such circumstances and require that such external support is procured only where essential. My department requires that each office and department confirms regularly that these guidelines are applied. The following table sets out expenditure in the years 2005 to 2008 and to date in 2009 on contracts for legal services by my department and the related offices.

In the time available, the Office of Public Works was unable to collate the information sought. I have asked that office to communicate the relevant information direct to the Deputy.