Written answers

Wednesday, 12 January 2011

Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism

Legal Services

2:30 pm

Photo of Alan ShatterAlan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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Question 750: To ask the Minister for Tourism, Culture and Sport 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 and 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 and 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. [1628/11]

Photo of Mary HanafinMary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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The information sought by the Deputy is as set out in tabular form below. In general, whenever my Department requires legal services, it obtains these from the Office of the Attorney General and/or the Office of the Chief State Solicitor. Any associated fee costs are borne directly by those two Offices. However, on occasion and in exceptional circumstances, the Department, including the National Archives, may obtain legal services from other sources.

YearSubject Matter of Legal AdvicesName of Solicitors/BarristersFees Paid (€)Nature of WorkAdvertised for Tender?If Not Advertised, Why Not?
2008New Abbey Theatre PPP Project*McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors33,150Legal advice on PPP project.Yes(in 2007)N/A
2008National Concert Hall PPP Re-development ProjectMcCann Fitzgerald Solicitors217,652Legal advice on PPP project.Yes(in 2007)N/A
2009New Abbey Theatre PPP Project*McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors128,039Legal advice on PPP project.Yes(in 2007)N/A
2009National Concert Hall PPP Re-development ProjectMcCann Fitzgerald Solicitors268,385Legal advice on PPP project.Yes(in 2007)N/A
2009Legal advice regarding State Aid issuesMcCann FitzgeraldSolicitors4,860Legal advice regarding State Aid issues.NoNot advertised for tender because of specialist knowledge of McCann Fitzgerald in the area.
2010National Concert Hall PPP Re-development ProjectMcCann Fitzgerald Solicitors144,653Legal advice on PPP project.Yes(in 2007)N/A
2010ACCESS Capital Development ProjectMcCann Fitzgerald Solicitors883Legal advice on ACCESS capital development project.NoAdvice sought was limited and amount of fees low.

(* The contract in respect of the PPP project for the new Abbey Theatre was entered into between the National Development Finance Agency (NDFA) and McCann Fitzgerald Solicitors. NDFA makes the fee payments to the solicitors and the Department refunds the NDFA)

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