Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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3339. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills 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; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41523/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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The Chief State Solicitor’s Office (CSSO) is best placed to comment on whether rates paid for legal services represent value for money for the taxpayer. My Department has processes and systems in operation to ensure that public financial procedures and value for money for the taxpayer are being complied with.

All legal costs for my Department are included within the published Appropriation Accounts, under 6.1 within Vote 45. Please find the link below.The 2024 Accounts are currently under audit and will be published once the audit is complete.

Appropriation Accounts - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General:

Grace Boland (Dublin Fingal West, Fine Gael)
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3340. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills 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. [41541/25]

James Lawless (Kildare North, Fianna Fail)
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My Department has a Corporate Procurement Plan in place. Procurement processes cover all procurement within the Department, including external legal services. Each process and the use of any panels is on a case-by-case basis.

All legal costs for my Department are included within the published Appropriation Accounts, under 6.1 within Vote 45. Please find the link below. The 2024 Accounts are currently under audit and will be published once the audit is complete.

Appropriation Accounts - Office of the Comptroller and Auditor General: