Departmental Legal Cases

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 29 July 2025

• Debates
• Find a debate
  • Dáil debates
  • Seanad debates
  • Committee debates
• Find a vote
  • Dáil votes
  • Seanad votes
  • Committee votes
• Parliamentary questions
  • Written questions
  • Oral questions
• Search tips
• Utterances having an adverse effect

Tuesday, 29 July 2025

Questions (3338)

Grace Boland

Question:

3338. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science if all external legal fees incurred by his Department, and by any bodies under its aegis, are charged at negotiated discounted rates; how fees are monitored for compliance; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41505/25]

Written answers

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science

In general, decisions around fee arrangements and applicable rates are a matter for the Chief State Solicitor's Office (CSSO). My Department has processes and systems in operation to ensure that public financial procedures are being complied with. When external legal services are procured, fees are agreed 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: https://www.audit.gov.ie/en/publications/appropriation%20accounts/

Legal costs incurred by agencies under the aegis of the Department are a matter for the agencies themselves. Contact details for the aegis bodies are attached.

Contact E-Mail Addresses for State Bodies under the Remit of the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science
Name of Body	Dedicated Email address for the Members of the Oireachtas	Designated Official Responsible for assisting Oireachtas Members
Higher Education Authority	[e-mail]	Trevor Purtill
Grangegorman Development Agency	[e-mail]	[e-mail]
SOLAS	[e-mail]	Maria Walsh [e-mail]
Skillnet Ireland	[e-mail]	[e-mail]
Quality and Qualifications Ireland	[e-mail]	[e-mail]
Léargas – The Exchange Bureau	[e-mail]	Lorraine Gilligan - [e-mail]
Taighde Éireann – Research	[e-mail]	Donna McCabe

• Previous Answer
• Next Answer