Topics / Departmental Legal Cases

A subject heading for parliamentary questions

Departmental Legal Cases

287 questions from 34 TDs, between 5 February 2025 and 6 October 2026.

287
questions
286 written, 1 oral
34
TDs have asked
10
parties and groups
Independents counted together
18
departments asked

This is one of the catch-all headings the Oireachtas uses for how a department runs rather than what a question is about, so it is left out of the range and focus figures.

Questions per month

The record holds no questions for August, when the Dáil does not sit.

Jan 2025Oct 2026
Show as a table
MonthQuestions
January 20250
February 20253
March 20250
April 20252
May 20251
June 20259
July 202583
August 20250
September 20251
October 20254
November 202517
December 20252
January 2026126
February 20264
March 20262
April 202625
May 20262
June 20262
July 20262
August 20260
September 20261
October 20261

Who asks, by party

The party each TD belonged to on the day, in alphabetical order. Parties differ a lot in size, and members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them, so this shows who raised it, not how much a party cares about it.

  • Aontú6 from 1 TD · 2 seats today
  • Fianna Fáil22 from 5 TDs · 48 seats today
  • Fine Gael217 from 4 TDs · 38 seats today
  • Green Party1 from 1 TD · 1 seat today
  • Independent3 from 2 TDs · 15 seats today
  • Independent Ireland1 from 1 TD · 4 seats today
  • Labour Party7 from 5 TDs · 11 seats today
  • People Before Profit-Solidarity3 from 1 TD · 3 seats today
  • Sinn Féin19 from 10 TDs · 39 seats today

The TDs who asked most

Members of the Government answer questions rather than ask them. Each question counts once.

  1. 200
  2. 16
  3. 15
  4. 6
  5. 5
  6. 4
  7. 3
  8. 3

Asked of

Debated under the same heading

Debates whose official heading is exactly these words.

The questions

Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Enterprise
863. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment 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; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40878/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Enterprise
891. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Enterprise, Tourism and Employment 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. [41502/25]
Ged Nash Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Culture
1331. Deputy Ged Nash asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport further to Parliamentary Question No. 80 of 9 July 2025, if the CSSO will confirm to the club concerned that they have no objection to the organisation changing its trustees (details supplied); if the CSSO will enable this to be agreed to allow the club to take the steps as outlined in the reply; and if he will make a statement on the matt…
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Housing
1406. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage 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; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40883/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Housing
1464. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage 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. [41507/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Housing
1465. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage 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. [41525/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Housing
1466. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage 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. [41543/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Housing
1467. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage 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. [41561/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Housing
1468. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage 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. [41579/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Housing
1469. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage if his Department makes use of capped fee arrangements, fixed-fee briefs, success-based fee models or other such arrangements in its legal engagements; if not, the reason such options are not considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41597/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Housing
1470. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage 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 the total overrun; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41615/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Social
1752. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection 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; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40887/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Justice
1920. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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 she will provide a breakdown by case or category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40840/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Justice
1923. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40884/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Justice
1976. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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. [41508/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Justice
1977. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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. [41526/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Justice
1978. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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. [41544/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Justice
1979. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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. [41562/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Justice
1980. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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. [41580/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Justice
1981. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration if his Department makes use of capped fee arrangements, fixed-fee briefs, success-based fee models or other such arrangements in its legal engagements; if not, the reason such options are not considered; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41598/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Justice
1982. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration 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. [41616/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Agriculture
2171. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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. [41496/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Agriculture
2172. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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. [41514/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Agriculture
2173. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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. [41532/25]
Grace Boland Written 29 Jul 2025 · to Agriculture
2174. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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. [41550/25]