A TOTAL of £4.6 million in beef tribunal legal fees has been paid to barristers representing the State and the tribunal, it was revealed. The remaining legal fees are being examined by the Taxing Master, who began his hearing last October, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr Yates, said in a written reply.
He told Mr Ivor Callely (FF, Dublin North Central) that following, the hearing it remained open to the State to raise objections to the, amounts awarded, if necessary by way of appeals to the High Court and the Supreme Court. To date 21 bills totalling about £10.5 million had" been lodged with the office of the Chief State Solicitor or the Taxing Master. Of these, 11 had been referred back to the claimants to have their costs taxed.
On the EU's proposed disallowance of £109.9 million for alleged breaches of the beef industry regulations relating to intervention, Mr Yates said that £5.9 million was paid to the Commission last year as part of the 1991 clearance. A legal settlement of £61,000 was also paid last year some £94.799 million was being handled within the 1992 clearance and the Commission had deferred action on £9.1 million relating to valuation of beef pending the outcome of legal proceedings on an insurance claim.
