Marcella Corcoran Kennedy (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
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163. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if he will outline the longest running case in the courts taken by the special investigations unit at his Department; and the total legal costs incurred by said case to date. [27636/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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A number of linked cases arising from investigations by my Department’s Special Investigation Unit in 1999 are still before the courts. The hearing of these cases commenced in 2002 but progress has been delayed as a result of the lodgement of several sets of proceedings by the defendants, including various challenges to the legislation under which the charges were brought. The Department has been successful to-date in defending these challenges. The cases are due before the courts shortly and are therefore sub judice. No legal costs have been incurred by my Department to-date in respect of these cases. Such costs are generally borne by the Chief State Solicitors Office and are a matter for that body.