Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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315. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence the total spend by his Department on external legal services in each of the past three years; the main areas of legal activity for which external advice was sought; if he will provide a breakdown by case or category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40856/25]

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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333. To ask the Taoiseach and Minister for Defence 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. [41608/25]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 315 and 333 together.

The table below provides details of the total spend on external legal services engaged by my Department in 2023, 2024 and to date in 2025 and the main areas of legal activity for which external advice was sought. The total below does not include costs relating to courts-marital cases. While the Department does not engage these services directly, it funds the provision of legal aid in respect of courts-martial cases.

No legal engagements have exceeded their initial estimated or approved cost in the past three years.