Mattie McGrath (Tipperary South, Independent)
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680. To ask the Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht the total cost to her Department, and those under her aegis, for the procurement of legal services in the State from 2011 to 2015 in tabular form; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [44567/15]

Heather Humphreys (Cavan-Monaghan, Fine Gael)
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I am advised that the cost of legal services paid from my Department's Administrative Budget since its establishment in June 2011 amounts to €6,195 in respect of legal advice provided on a single occasion in 2012. For completeness, I would bring to the Deputy's attention that my Department makes payments from time to time to the Chief State Solicitor's Office in respect of legal services that it provides to my Department. The Deputy may also wish to refer to my reply to Question Number 642 of 1 December which details costs of €225,100 incurred in respect of legal cases brought against my Department.

Bodies operating under the aegis of my Department are separate legal entities in their own right. The issues raised by the Deputy are part of the day-to-day operational responsibilities of the bodies in question and are matters for the bodies concerned.