John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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181. To ask the Minister for Social Protection the amount spent during 2016 by his Department, and by each named public body under his Department’s remit, on legal services, by reference to each firm or individual engaged in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8046/17]

Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael)
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It is not possible to provide the information within the timeframe required. The information requested by the Deputy is being compiled by my officials and will be sent to the Deputy when it is finalised.

John Deasy (Waterford, Fine Gael)
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182. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the amount spent during 2016 by his Department, and by each named public body under his Department’s remit, on legal services, by reference to each firm or individual engaged in tabular form; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8041/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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My Department generally seeks advice on legal matters from the Office of the Attorney General, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office and the Department’s own Legal Division.

In particular, the Chief State Solicitor’s Office provides legal advice in relation to commercial contracts and public procurement matters. The Department has not engaged external private sector legal advice on these matters for 2016.

Depending on the subject-matter, litigation, including before the Court of Justice of the European Union, 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 external lawyers to act for the Department where necessary, including for personal injuries claims and other matters. At the international level, my Department, working closely with the Office of the Attorney General, acts as agent for the Government in relation to legal proceedings before the European Court of Human Rights and other international legal courts and bodies. The costs of any external lawyers engaged for litigation are not charged to my Department’s Votes.

The Department’s Missions abroad engage local legal advisers from time to time to deal with a range of miscellaneous matters.