Written answers
Tuesday, 11 October 2011
Department of Public Expenditure and Reform
Tribunals of Inquiry
8:00 pm
Derek Keating (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
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Question 187: To ask the Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform the cost to the State and the name and purpose of all tribunals current or past since 1987 to date in tabular form; if he will break down the costs and payments of barristers, senior counsel and administrators; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21415/11]
Brendan Howlin (Wexford, Labour)
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Based on bi-monthly reports made to the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform on expenditure incurred by the Departments with responsibility for the individual tribunals from 1987 listed as follows, the cumulative cost of completed and sitting Tribunals up to end-August 2011, is estimated at €315.747 million, of which €72.515 million comprised administration and €243.232 million derived from legal costs. The legal costs figures include €118.354 million for third-party legal costs that are already paid. Further third party legal costs have yet to be presented and taxed.
| Tribunal Costs to End-August 2011 | Admin Costs | State Legal Costs | 3rd Party Legal Costs | Other* | Total Costs |
| €m | €m | €m | €m | €m | |
| Beef Tribunal of Inquiry to enquire into allegations of improper practices within the beef industry and the abuse of the EU export credit refund scheme (established May 1991; Report presented to Relevant Minister, July 1994). | 5.320 | 4.630 | 17.283 | 27.233 | |
| McCracken Tribunal of Inquiry into the Dunne's payments to politicians (established February 1997: Report presented to Relevant Minister, August 1997). | 0.100 | 0.860 | 5.600 | 6.560 | |
| Finlay Tribunal of Inquiry into the Blood Transfusion Service Board (established October 1996: Report presented to Relevant Minister, March 1997). | 0.500 | 0.700 | 3.500 | 4.700 | |
| Lindsay Tribunal of Inquiry into the Infection with HIV and Hepatitis C of Persons with Haemophilia and Related Matters (established September 1999: Report presented to Relevant Minister, September 2002). | 3.133 | 4.350 | 39.166 | 46.649 | |
| Moriarty Tribunal of Inquiry into Payments to Messrs. Haughey and Lowry (established September 1997 – Report presented March 2011). | 8.471 | 34.235 | 0.0 | 0 | 42.706 |
| Costs paid by D/CENR in respect of Moriarty Tribunal. | 0.202 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 3.242 | 3.444 |
| Mahon Tribunal of Inquiry into Certain Planning matters and Payments (established November 1997 - ongoing). | 29.121 | 56.974 | 10.073 | 96.168 | |
| Morris Tribunal of Inquiry into certain Garda activities in Donegal (established 2002: Report presented to relevant Minister 2008). | 17.320 | 10.546 | 31.274 | 59.140 | |
| Barr Tribunal of Inquiry into the Facts and Circumstances Surrounding the Fatal Shooting of John Carthy at Abbeylara, Co. Longford (established 2002: Report presented to relevant Minister July 2006). | 4.170 | 5.083 | 11.390 | 20.643 | |
| Smithwick Tribunal of Inquiry into the Fatal Shootings of RUC Chief Superintendent Harry Breen and Superintendent Robert Buchanan (established 2005 - ongoing). | 4.178 | 4.258 | 0.068 | 8.504 | |
| Total | 72.515 | 121.636 | 118.354 | 3.242 | 315.747 |
* The figure of €3.242m in the "Other" column relates to expenditure by the Department of Communications, Energy and Natural Resources on legal representation at the Moriarty Tribunal.
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