Tribunal's legal team cost State €33m in fees, says Kenny

THE BILL for the Moriarty tribunal so far was close to €42 million, Taoiseach Enda Kenny told the Dáil.

“This figure does not include third-party costs for which applications have yet to be received and ruled on by the sole member,” he added.

Mr Kenny said the full cost of the tribunal’s legal team from its establishment in 1997 to the end of last month was some €33 million.

At the concluding stages of its work, the legal team consisted of two senior counsel, three junior counsel, a legal researcher and a solicitor.

The two senior counsel, who had ceased working with the tribunal, were paid a daily rate of €1,955 and €1,564 respectively.

The two junior counsel, who remained with the tribunal, were paid €860.20 a day, while the third more senior junior counsel, who had left the tribunal, was paid €1,050 a day.

Mr Kenny said the solicitor’s daily fee was €782.

The legal researcher, who had also left the team, was paid €391.39 a day.

He added: “The three senior counsel earned €9.6 million, €9.3 million and €6.8 million respectively.

“The three junior counsel earned €2.4 million, €1.8 million and €241,000 respectively.

“The solicitor earned €1.8 million, while the legal researcher earned €754,000.

“All these figures include VAT,” said Mr Kenny.

Joe Higgins (Socialist Party) said ordinary taxpayers would be outraged that a tribunal investigating four millionaires created six multimillionaires in the legal profession in the process.

“Is that not an incredible situation?”

Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams said the legal costs were a scandal, adding that the legal team at the Moriarty tribunal was paid over twice the amount paid to the Saville inquiry legal teams looking at Bloody Sunday.

Mr Adams said he thanked the Taoiseach for his answer, and he hoped he would be just as clear when following the other money trails later when the House debated the Moriarty tribunal report.

Mr Kenny said the Government intended holding a referendum to allow investigative work to be carried out by specialist or select Dáil committees.

“On the question of the clarity of money trails, I am not sure about the Omo boxes but we might have a look.’’

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin said those who failed to co-operate fully with the tribunal, and obstructed its work, should waive at least a portion of their costs.