780. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the number of public bodies that reported legal costs exceeding €50,000 in any of the past three years; the purpose of these legal services; whether any central oversight exists to ensure value for money in procurement of legal services; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40849/25]
779. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Public Expenditure, Infrastructure, Public Service Reform and Digitalisation the total annual expenditure on external legal fees by all Government Departments and agencies under their aegis, for each of the past five years; the steps being taken to monitor and control such expenditure; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [40848/25]
689. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance if he will consider in advance of Budget 2026 raising the maximum tax relief credit on health insurance premiums, presently capped at €200, in view of the substantial increases in health insurance costs over the past two years; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42726/25]
685. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance to outline the governance and deployment criteria for the future Ireland fund; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42592/25]
684. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance the contingency plans in place should corporate tax receipts from US multinationals decline significantly; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42591/25]
683. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance if he will provide an updated assessment of the sustainability of Ireland’s public finances in light of the ESRI’s warning from June this year; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42590/25]
671. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance for an update on the work carried out by her Department to examine the barriers facing farming women within the taxation system; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41950/25]
670. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance the means by which the delivery of the “Women in Finance” initiative will be delivered; if there is a timeframe for the delivery; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41947/25]
659. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance 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. [41611/25]
658. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance 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. [41593/25]
657. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance 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. [41575/25]
656. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance 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. [41557/25]
655. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance 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. [41539/25]
654. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance 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. [41521/25]
653. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance 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. [41503/25]
617. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance 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. [40879/25]
616. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Finance 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. [40835/25]
508. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the work his Department has carried out to ensure Ireland’s aviation sector are meeting the commitments outlined in the Climate Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42863/25]
507. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the way in which the absence of a mainline rail link to Dublin Airport aligns with Ireland's climate and sustainable transport commitments under the Climate Action Plan; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42861/25]
506. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the Government's strategy to avoid potential EU infringement proceedings and fines related to the lack of a mainline rail link to Dublin Airport. [42860/25]
505. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport the steps his Department is taking to ensure compliance with the EU’s TEN-T regulation requiring a mainline rail link to Dublin Airport by 2040; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [42859/25]
421. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport further to the deployment of counter-drone technology at Dublin Airport, if he will provide data on the number of drones detected and disabled or otherwise neutralised by the DAA on a daily, weekly or monthly basis since the introduction of these measures; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [41622/25]
420. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport 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. [41621/25]
419. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport 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. [41603/25]
418. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport 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. [41585/25]
417. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport 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. [41567/25]
416. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport 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. [41549/25]
415. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport 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. [41531/25]
414. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport 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. [41513/25]
392. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport 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. [40889/25]
390. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Transport 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. [40858/25]
352. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence for an update on the implementation of initiatives to promote the recruitment and retention of women in the Defence Forces; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [43038/25]
333. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence 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. [41608/25]
332. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence 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. [41590/25]
331. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence 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. [41572/25]
330. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence 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. [41554/25]
329. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence 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. [41536/25]
328. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence 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. [41518/25]
327. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence 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. [41500/25]
316. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence 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. [40876/25]
315. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Defence 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. [40856/25]
182. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment 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. [41606/25]
181. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment 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. [41588/25]
180. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment 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. [41570/25]
179. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment 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. [41552/25]
178. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment 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. [41534/25]
177. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment 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. [41516/25]
176. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment 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. [41498/25]
163. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment 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. [40874/25]
162. Deputy Grace Boland asked the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment 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. [40854/25]