Lucinda Creighton (Dublin South East, Fine Gael)
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Question 431: To ask the Minister for Defence 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. [17837/09]

Willie O'Dea (Limerick East, Fianna Fail)
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The main requirement for legal services in my Department is in the context of administrative law litigation, usually in the form of judicial review and personal injury proceedings. The Chief State Solicitor's Office is responsible for the costs of the State's legal teams in cases that it manages on behalf of my Department. External legal costs incurred by the State Claims Agency arising from the defence of any claims managed by the Agency for my Department are refunded to the Agency by my Department. In addition the Department may pay plaintiffs's legal costs as part of awards/settlements. Details of the foregoing costs are being compiled and I will write to the Deputy with the information as soon as possible.

Other than the cost of legal services arising from litigation, my Department and agencies under its remit may from time to time have certain projects that are more suitable to assignment to a dedicated legal team on a one off basis. I have set out in the following table the annual expenditure on external legal costs of this nature. Department

Civil Defence Board