Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

6. To ask the Taoiseach the amount spent on legal fees associated with litigation, advice and settlements in each of the past three years by his Department and agencies under its aegis. [40888/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

8. To ask the Taoiseach if all external legal fees incurred by his Department, and by any bodies under its aegis, are charged at negotiated discounted rates; and how fees are monitored for compliance. [41512/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

9. To ask the Taoiseach if his Department conducts regular benchmarking, or market testing, to ensure that the rates paid for legal services, solicitors and barristers, represent value for money for the taxpayer. [41530/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

10. To ask the Taoiseach to detail the procurement processes used when engaging external legal firms and barristers, including whether panels are used; how often these are refreshed; the criteria used for selection and performance review; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41548/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

11. To ask the Taoiseach if his Department has conducted any audits or reviews in the past five years on legal fee spend; if so, to publish the findings or summaries of those reviews; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41566/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

12. To ask the Taoiseach the internal oversight that exists within his Department to monitor the scope, duration, and cost escalation of legal services once engaged; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41584/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

13. To ask the Taoiseach if his Department makes use of capped fee arrangements, fixed-fee briefs, success-based fee models or other such arrangements in its legal engagements; and, if not, the reason such options are not considered. [41602/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

14. To ask the Taoiseach whether any legal engagements have exceeded their initial estimated or approved cost in the past three years; if so, the number of such cases and total overrun; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41620/25]

Micheál Martin (Cork South-Central, Fianna Fail)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

I propose to take Questions Nos. 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 together.

The below table details expenditure by the Department of the Taoiseach on legal fees over the past three years.

A centralised legal services contract for Civil Service HR Matters, managed by the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitisation (DPER), was used in respect of the expenditure detailed in the above table.

Legal fees relating to a number of independent Commissions, Tribunals and Inquiries established by Government are also paid from the Department of the Taoiseach's Vote, including the Commission of Investigation into the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, the NAMA Commission of Investigation, and the Moriarty Tribunal of Inquiry. Sanction is provided by DPER to engage legal counsel, as required, to assist both the Commissions and the Tribunal in their work. All legal fees are paid at rates approved by Government.

All financial and other functions of the Department of the Taoiseach are subject to regular audit by the Department's Internal Audit Unit and annually by the Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General.

No expenditure on legal fees has been incurred by National Economic and Social Development Office (NESDO) - the only body under the aegis of the Department - within the past three years.