Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 451: To ask the Minister for Health and Children, in each of the years 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, the arrangements entered into by her Department for the obtaining of advice from a firm of solicitors or from senior or junior counsel; in each case, the subject matter in respect of which advices were sought, the name of the solicitors firm or barristers concerned, and the fees paid; the nature of the work concerned, that is, whether it involved the drafting of legislation or the obtaining of legal advices; whether in each case the matter concerned was advertised for tender; and where not, why not. [1624/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 453: To ask the Minister for Health and Children, with regard to legal services used by her Department, any Body under the aegis of her Department or any State agency for which she is responsible; if she will give details of the legal services for which there was competitive tendering in each of the years 2008, 2009 and 2010; the legal firm in each case that furnished advice with regard to any such tendering and assisted in the preparation of tender documents; and, in each case, the solicitors firm that succeeded in the tendering process, the nature of the work for which each firm successfully tendered, and the fees paid for any such advice or assistance to each firm for work for which it tendered. [1654/11]

Mary Harney (Dublin Mid West, Independent)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 451 and 453 together.

With regard to the information requested by the Deputy concerning legal services obtained by the Department between 2006 and 2010, the information set out below covers the period from January 2007 to November 2010. I am advised that this is acceptable to the Deputy.

In early 2009, the Department invited a number of solicitors to submit prices for work. Based on the prices received, the Department made offers to the solicitors concerned, and those who accepted were included on a panel for use by the Department. In previous years, for small drafting jobs which were below tendering limits, the Department felt that better value for money could be obtained from using those familiar with the relevant requirements.

My Department has not sought legal advice in relation to tendering processes during the period outlined by the Deputy. With regard to agencies under the remit of my Department, payment for legal services is an operational matter for the agencies themselves, and such information is not held by my Department.

Total Amount Paid for 2007 - €2,110,942

Total Amount for 2008 - €292,84

Total Amount for 2009 - €60,048

Total Amount for 2010 - €49,840 (Up to 4 November 2010 – date of PQ)

Grand Total for 2007 – 2010 - €2,513,677

* The term Documentary Counsel refers to Junior Counsel with an expertise in the area of Orders of Discovery. They were nominated by the Attorney General's Office.

** In 2006, the Department agreed to allow Judge Harding Clark, who headed the Lourdes Hospital Inquiry and the subsequent Lourdes Hospital Redress Board, to retain the services of her legal team in order to advise on the redress scheme.