Malcolm Byrne (Wicklow-Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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597. To ask the Minister for Housing, Planning, and Local Government the total legal costs in defending judicial reviews of planning decisions involving his Department and/or agencies within the aegis of his Department for each of the years 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [63624/25]

James Browne (Wexford, Fianna Fail)
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A summary of the legal costs incurred by my Department in defending judicial reviews of planning decisions for each of the years 2020 to 2024 and to date in 2025 is provided in the table below.

My Department seeks, where possible, to minimise legal costs and avails of the services of the Chief State Solicitor's Office, the Attorney General's Office and the State Claims Agency in the provision of legal advice and representation. Accordingly, many of the relevant costs are not borne by the Department.

The figures below reflect cases where my Department is a named party. The figures may differ slightly from previous reports due to reclassification in the intervening period or notification delays.

My Department does not maintain the requested information in respect of the State bodies under its aegis. Arrangements have been put in place by all bodies under the aegis of my Department to facilitate the provision of information directly to members of the Oireachtas. This provides a speedy, efficient and cost-effective system to address queries directly to the relevant bodies. These bodies may be contacted directly by e-mail by members of the Oireachtas, as set out in the attached table.