Questions

2. Deputy Emer Currie asked the Taoiseach Taoiseach to provide details of the number of legal actions against his Department that have been resolved without going to court in line with the 2023 State Litigation Principles; and if his Department is fully applying the State Litigation Principles in seeking to resolve any current or outstanding legal actions. [28871/26]

213. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Taoiseach whether his Department, or any body under its aegis, has funded, or is funding, other than where legal costs were awarded against the employer by a court or tribunal, the legal costs of any current or concluded litigation taken by an employee or former employee against that Department or body, in each of the past five years; if so, to provide details of the number of such …

214. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Taoiseach the basis on which his Department, or a body under its aegis, may fund the legal costs of an employee or former employee in litigation where that employee is in dispute with, or taking proceedings against, the same body. [2047/26]

215. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Taoiseach whether the funding of employee legal costs in disputes against his Department, or a body under its aegis, is standard practice; if not, the circumstances in which such funding may be permitted. [2065/26]

216. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Taoiseach to outline the guidance, codes, circulars or directions that govern the payment of legal costs by his Department, and bodies under its aegis, in employment-related disputes, including any requirements under the Code of Practice for the Governance of State Bodies or Departmental sanction arrangements. [2083/26]

217. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Taoiseach whether the funding of employee legal costs in litigation against the employing body could give rise to governance, accountability, or value for money concerns; whether his Department has issued any guidance in this regard. [2101/26]

218. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Taoiseach whether his Department has reviewed, or intends to review, the practice of Departments, and bodies under their aegis, funding legal costs in employment disputes involving those same bodies; and if so, the outcome or timeline for such a review. [2119/26]

219. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Taoiseach whether arrangements to fund legal costs in employment disputes involving his Department, or bodies under its aegis, require the prior approval of his Department or the Department of Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation. [2137/26]

176. Deputy Malcolm Byrne asked the Taoiseach 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. [63629/25]

6. Deputy Grace Boland asked 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]

8. Deputy Grace Boland asked 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]

9. Deputy Grace Boland asked 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]

10. Deputy Grace Boland asked 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]

11. Deputy Grace Boland asked 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]

12. Deputy Grace Boland asked 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]

13. Deputy Grace Boland asked 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]

14. Deputy Grace Boland asked 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]