Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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104. To ask the Minister for Finance the amount the State Claims Agency paid in legal costs to solicitors representing it and acting for plaintiffs in 2013 and in 2014; the top ten payments made to named legal firms representing it and representing plaintiffs in 2014; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [38785/15]

Michael Noonan (Limerick City, Fine Gael)
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In response to the Deputy's question the State Claims Agency (SCA) have supplied the following information: 

Table 1.

Total Agency solicitors' fees paid in 2013 & 2014

The level of legal costs paid to plaintiffs' legal representatives is carefully reviewed and, wherever possible and by means of negotiations, the SCA seeks to achieve the maximum possible reduction in legal costs. If the SCA cannot successfully agree the level of legal costs to be paid to plaintiffs' legal representatives, the matter is determined by a Taxing Master.

Plaintiff legal costs relate to the payment made to the Plaintiff's legal team i.e. Solicitors and Counsel and are also inclusive of expert fees which are discharged by the Plaintiff's solicitor. These expert fees may relate to actuarial, engineering, medical, witness fees etc.

Figures included in table 2 below include Plaintiff legal costs paid by the SCA in 2013 & 2014.

Table 2.

Total plaintiff legal costs paid in 2013 & 2014

A number of solicitors act on behalf of the agency in defence of clinical negligence and general negligence cases. Figures included in table 3 below relate to the top 10 total amounts paid to Agency solicitors acting on behalf of the SCA in 2014. The figures shown are the total amount of all transactions paid to each solicitor firm within the transactional year.

Table 3.

Top 10 payments to Agency solicitors in 2014

Figures included in table 4 below relate to Plaintiff legal costs and it highlights the top 10 total amounts paid to plaintiff legal firms by the SCA in 2014. The figures shown are the total amount of all transactions paid to each legal firm within the transactional year. 

Table 4.

Top 10 total payments to plaintiff legal firms in 2014

Notes:

- All figures are based on payments made within a transactional year.

- All figures are inclusive of VAT.

- Figures are correct as of 03/11/2015.