Written answers
Tuesday, 25 February 2025
Department of Education and Skills
Departmental Consultations
Aidan Farrelly (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
406. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills if she will provide a schedule of all external legal consultation that she 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. [7431/25]
Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source
My Department seeks, where possible, to minimise legal fees and avails of the services of the Chief State Solicitor's Office, the Attorney General's Office and the State Claims Agency in terms of the provision of legal advice and representation of the Department in Court cases. However, occasionally it engages private solicitor firms and counsel for legal advice and services.
The schedule below set out details in relation to all external legal consultation that my Department engaged in the years 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 consultation:
| Year | Nature of engagement | Did engagement result in a report and or recommendation | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | The Department engaged the services of external Documentary Counsel to assist with file reviews in relation to historic litigation cases | No | €11,131.50 |
| 2023 | Sanction was given by DPENDPDR to engage the services of a retired AGO member, on a per diem basis, to provide cover in the Departments Legal Services Unit | No. The nature of the role was to provide advice to line divisions on legal issues that require opinion. | €5,310 |
| 2023 | Legal Consultancy in relation to Teacher/SNA Terms and conditions | Yes | €104,822.77 |
| 2023 | Advices from Barrister at Law | Yes - Providing advices on the drafting of the proposed statutory instrument to amend the Teaching Council Registration Regulations. | €922.50 |
| 2023 | Advices from Barrister at Law | Yes - Reading all papers and providing advices in relation to the drafting of the Teaching Council’s draft regulations providing for the election of Council members. | €1,230.00 |
| 2023 | Legal advice in relation to Conciliation/Mediation | Recommendation | €83,446.61 inc VAT |
| 2023 | General Legal Advice for Planning and Building Unit | Recommendation | €24,068.25 inc VAT |
| 2024 | Sanction was given by DPENDPDR to engage the services of a retired AGO member, on a per diem basis, to provide cover in the Departments Legal Services Unit | No. The nature of the role was to provide advice to line divisions on legal issues that require opinion. | € 16,520 |
| 2024 | Training Session on Section 29 Appeals for committee members | No | Invoice pending, estimate €4,500 plus VAT |
| 2024 | External Legal Opinion (Advices) requested by the Department of Education, in relation to the disclosure of information contained in the Department’s litigation files | Legal Advice Provided | €8,000 |
| 2024 | The Department engaged the services of external Documentary Counsel to assist with file reviews in relation to historic litigation cases | No | €8,250 |
| 2024 | Legal Consultancy in relation to Teacher/SNA Terms and conditions | Yes | €90,669.40 |
| 2024 | Legal Consultancy in relation to Teacher/SNA Terms and conditions | Yes | €13,069.37 |
| 2024 | Legal advice on Procurement | Recommendation | €5,679.53 |
| 2024 | Legal Advice on lease and wayleave | Recommendation | €16,760.25 |
| 2024 | Legal advice in relation to Conciliation/Mediation | Recommendation | €242,400.29 |
| 2024 | General Legal Advice for Planning and Building Unit | Recommendation | €1,733.07 |
| 2025 | Sanction was given by DPENDPDR to engage the services of a retired AGO member, on a per diem basis, to provide cover in the Departments Legal Services Unit | No. The nature of the role was to provide advice to line divisions on legal issues that require opinion | No costs to date |
| 2025 | Legal Advice in relation to Conciliation/Mediation | Recommendation | €2,590.07 |
| 2025 | Legal advice on licence agreement | Recommendation | €12,392.61 |
No comments