Seán Fleming (Laois-Offaly, Fianna Fail)
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143. To ask the Minister for Environment, Community and Local Government his views on whether sufficient progress is being made in reducing the State's legal bill in his Department and any State agencies under his aegis; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [25166/13]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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Legal costs incurred by my Department arise primarily as a result of the process and outcome of litigation; there are, therefore, significant factors outside the control of my Department in relation to 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. Legal costs incurred by bodies under the aegis of the Department are a matter for the bodies concerned.