Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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15. To ask the Taoiseach the details of all fees paid by the Office of the Attorney General and the Chief State Solicitor's Office to barristers and solicitors in each of the years 2014 to 2019 and for the first six months of 2020, in tabular form. [31792/20]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Fees paid 2014 – 2020:

Cormac Devlin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)
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16. To ask the Taoiseach the number of barristers broken down by junior and senior counsel who submitted applications to the Office of the Attorney General to be nominated as counsel for State work in each of the years 2014 to 2019; the actual number of barristers broken down by junior and senior counsel who received instructions or briefs from the Office of the Attorney General in each of the years 2014 to 2019; and the criteria by which barristers are nominated to receive instructions or briefs from the Office of the Attorney General. [31794/20]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The number of both junior and senior counsel that submitted applications to the Office of the Attorney General to be nominated as counsel for State work in each of the years 2014 to 2019 are detailed below.

- 2014: 10 applicants - 9 BL and 1 SC

- 2015: 35 applicants - 33 BL and 2 SC

- 2016: 34 applicants - 33 BL and 1 SC

- 2017: 70 applicants - 65 BL and 5 SC

- 2018: 33 applicants - 31 BL and 2 SC

- 2019: 30 applicants - 28 BL and 2 SC

The actual number of barristers by both junior and senior counsel that received instructions or briefs from the Office of the Attorney General in each of the years 2014 to 2019;

Figures below detail junior and senior counsel that received instructions or briefs:

The Attorney General is guided by criteria that includes: knowledge, skills, experience and suitability as well as the distribution of work amongst counsel, the resource requirements of the AGO and the needs of Government. The Attorney General as the constitutional office-holder has the final say in determining which counsel he wishes to have represent the State.