Written answers
Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment
Departmental Consultations
Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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207. To ask the Minister for Communications, Climate Action and Environment if he will provide a schedule of all external legal consultation that he engaged in, in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025; the general nature of the engagement; if the external consultation resulted in a report and or recommendations; and the cost of each consultant and or company engaged. in tabular form. [7433/25]
Darragh O'Brien (Dublin Fingal East, Fianna Fail)
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I bring the Deputy's attention to the provided details of all external legal consultation undertaken by my Department in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025.
| Name of legal Consultant/Company | Purpose of Consultancy | Report or Recommendation arising Y/N | Cost including VAT 2023 | Cost including VAT 2024 | Cost including VAT 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur Cox | Legal services related to the energy security review | Yes | €225,139 | €0 | €0 |
| Arthur Cox | Legal services related to the energy security review | Yes | €225,139 | €0 | €0 |
| Arthur Cox | Legal advice required to support DECC with the design and implementation of the Renewable Energy Support Scheme (RESS), the Small-Scale Generation (SSG) Scheme and legal support on ensuring security of energy supply | N0 | €46,501 | €73,800 | €0 |
| Arthur Cox | examination of the various approaches being used in other MS and the UK with regard to the imperative reasons of overriding public interest (IROPI) process | Yes | €0 | €0 | €28,844 |
| Arthur Cox | Maritime Area Consents- to provide support with any issues that may arise in the assessment of the Relevant Project applications which would require specialist input from Arthur Cox whey there have detailed knowledge of the history of these projects | Yes | €18,649 | €0 | €0 |
| Byrne Wallace | Legal Advice | No | €3,697 | €0 | €0 |
| Christopher O’Toole | Advice in relation to a Review of Foreshore Licence applications for Short Events | Yes | €590 | ||
| Mason Hayes & Curran | Legal Advice on Contracts | No | €65,347 | €0 | €0 |
| Mason Hayes & Curran | Provision of legal advisory services for the award of an agreement to operate, manage and maintain the Emergency Call Answering Service (ECAS) | No | €0 | €265,200 | €26,317 |
| Matheson | Legal support with the design and implement the Offshore Renewable Electricity Support. | No | €282 | €180,211 | €126,108 |
| Matheson Solicitors LLP | External Legal Services on the subject matter of decommissioning and termination of Kinsale Area and Seven Heads gas production facilities. | N0 | €16,784 | €57,272 | €14,297 |
| McCann Fitzgerald | Legal Advice | No | €47,379 | €0 | €0 |
| McCann Fitzgerald | Legal advice related to the Home Energy Upgrade Loan Scheme | No | €70,640 | €0 | €0 |
| MKO | Legal advices in relation to the Celtic Interconnector | Yes | €23,985 | €0 | €0 |
| Philip Lee LLP | Legal advices in relation to the establishment of both the South Coast Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) DMAP | No | €0 | €386,632 | €0 |
| Philip Lee LLP | Legal support on the Small Scale Renewable Electricity Scheme | No | €0 | €118,339 | €0 |
| PWC | Technical Economic Consultancy Support Services re subsea telecommunications cable sector | Yes | €24,900 | €0 | €0 |
| Totals | €768,443 | €1,082,044 | €195,566 |
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