Written answers
Wednesday, 6 May 2009
Department of Social and Family Affairs
Departmental Expenditure
8:00 pm
Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 417: To ask the Minister for Social and Family Affairs the annual expenditure on external legal costs by her Department in each of the past five years; the annual expenditure on external legal costs by each of the agencies under her aegis in each of the past five years; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [17845/09]
Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The expenditure incurred by the Department on compensation and legal fees combined for 2004 – 2008 is set out in the following table. The elements of the Departmental payments relating solely to legal costs are not recorded separately. These payments are paid on foot of agreed settlements or by reference to a Court decision.
Department of Social and Family Affairs.
| Year | Compensation and Legal Fees/Settlements€ |
| 2004 | 507,296 |
| 2005 | 264,780 |
| 2006 | 245,742 |
| 2007 | 391,319 |
| 2008 | 227,092 |
Costs relating to the prosecutions arising from fraudulent claims made to the Department are borne by the Chief State Solicitors Office. The expenditure incurred by the agencies and bodies under the aegis of the Department is set out in the following table.
| Name of Statutory Body | Total Annual Expenditure on External Legal Costs€ |
| Family Support Agency | 2004: 4,4102005: 22,3002006: 91,0002007: 20,9072008: 39,217 |
| Social Welfare Tribunal | 2004: Nil2005: Nil2006: Nil2007: Nil2008: Nil |
| Office of the Pensions Ombudsman | 2004: 4,2352005: 22,4362006: 7,8772007: 71,6612008: Minus 2,572.27 ** |
| The Pensions Board | 2004: 210,4942005: 264,4002006: 281,6762007: 357,9132008: 404,794 (Provisional Subject to Audit) |
| Combat Poverty Agency | 2004: 15,6842005: 20,9802006: 10,0802007: 3,2142008: 20,053 |
| Comhairle(Comhairle combined the functions of the former National Social Services Board with certain functions of the former National Rehabilitation Board)Citizens Information Board(The Comhairle name was changed to Citizens Information Board in February 2007 under the Citizens Information Act 2007) | 2004: 21,2562005: 30,6062006: 15,9262007: 75,0432008: 20,365 |
** High Court cases in 2007: - In one appeal that went to hearing in 2007, the Pensions Ombudsman's determination was upheld in part. The second part was not tested, as the appeal fell on the first issue, and costs of the appeal (€26,969.79) were awarded to the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman. The refund to the Office of the Pensions Ombudsman which was eventually made in Feb 2008, exceeded the combined legal costs in 2008 resulting in a saving of €2,572.27.
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