Barry Cowen (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government the expected total legal costs to be incurred in his Department in 2012; his proposals to reduce these costs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44065/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Legal costs incurred by my Department arise primarily as a result of the process and outcome of litigation; there are, therefore, significant uncertainties involved in estimating such costs. Within this context, every effort is made by my Department to keep costs to a minimum through, inter alia, proper management of legal cases, use of dedicated expertise in other public bodies (Attorney General’s Office (Advisory Counsel), Chief State Solicitor’s Office, State Claims Agency) and competitive tendering for external legal services where these are required. It is estimated that legal costs in 2012 may be of the order of €1.7m, excluding costs associated with the Planning Tribunal.