Departmental Legal Services

1335. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport 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. [41553/25]

1336. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport 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. [41571/25]

1337. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport 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. [41589/25]

1338. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Culture, Communications and Sport 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. [41607/25]

1750. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection 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. [40842/25]

1751. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection 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 he will provide a breakdown by case or category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40857/25]

1780. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection 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. [41511/25]

1781. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection 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. [41529/25]

1782. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection 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. [41547/25]

1783. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection 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. [41565/25]

1784. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection 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. [41583/25]

1785. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection 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. [41601/25]

1786. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Social Protection 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. [41619/25]

2152. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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 he will provide a breakdown by case or category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40852/25]

2153. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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. [40872/25]

2177. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 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. [41604/25]

2262. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Children, Disability and Equality the total spend by her 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [40853/25]

2699. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health if her 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [41524/25]

2700. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health 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 she will make a statement on the matter. [41542/25]

2702. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Health the internal oversight that exists within her Department to monitor the scope, duration, and cost escalation of legal services once engaged; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [41578/25]

3317. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science 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 he will provide a breakdown by case or category; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40837/25]

3339. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science 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]

3340. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science 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]

3342. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science 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. [41577/25]

264. Deputy Paul Murphy asked the Minister for Social Protection the details for the past three years and the current year funding allocated or paid out for Departmental employees for legal study programmes including EU law in the past three years, detailing the course title, the course provider, the course fees, grade of employee supported, whether course was in person or online and name of the s…