Denis Naughten (Roscommon-South Leitrim, Independent)
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52. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will set out in tabular form, by reference to each named firm, the amount paid out in respect of legal fees during 2013 by his Department to law firms in or outside the State for services rendered to it; if he will provide in a similar format the amount paid out in respect of legal fees during 2013 by State bodies including commercial or non-commercial and regulatory bodies established by or under his Department, to law firms in or outside the State for services rendered to it; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [11872/14]

Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)
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The Department is responsible for two Votes, Vote 28 (Foreign Affairs and Trade) and Vote 27 (International Cooperation). There are no state or regulatory bodies under the aegis of my Department. With regard to legal services, my Department generally seeks advice on domestic legal matters from the Office of the Attorney General and/or the Chief State Solicitor’s Office. Depending on the subject-matter, domestic litigation is dealt with on my Department’s behalf by the Attorney General’s Office, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office or the State Claims Agency which engage lawyers to act for the Department where necessary and pays their fees. The Department has a Legal Division, which deals with matters of public international law, human rights law, and European Union law and other relevant legal issues. The Division also acts as agent for the Government before certain international courts and tribunals, such as the European Court of Human Rights. In this regard, it works closely with the Office of the Attorney General, which pays the fees of external lawyers.

The Department’s Missions abroad engage local legal advisers from time to time to deal with a range of miscellaneous matters including property, leases and employment law. The amount paid out in respect of legal fees during 2013 by my Department to law firms outside the State for legal services rendered is set out in the table. The legal services provided to our Embassy in The Hague by Russell Advocaten relate to a local employment matter.