THE State is to appeal to the High Court and the Taxing Master against £8.6 million in legal and other fees arising from the beef tribunal, a Government spokesman confirmed yesterday.
The State has until Monday to petition the High Court to review the sum of £933,400 approved by the Taxing Master, Mr James Flynn, for the legal team which represented Mr Pat Rabbitte and Mr Tomas Mac Giolla at the tribunal.
The State will also appeal to the Taxing Master against the figure of £7.69 million which he has already approved for the legal team employed by Mr Larry Goodman band Goodman International.
The Goodman hearing has been set for January 30th next year. Earlier this month, the State agreed with lawyers for Mr Goodman and Goodman International that £4.99 million, or 65 per cent of the fees, would be paid immediately but that the remaining £2.7 million would be withheld pending appeal.
The Government spokesman said that if there was an unsatisfactory result from the appeal to the Taxing Master, the Goodman fees would be appealed to the High Court as in the case of Mr Rabbitte and Mr Mac Giolla.
It is understood the decision to lodge the appeals was agreed between the Departments of Finance and Agriculture, their legal advisers and the Tanaiste, Mr Spring. A Cabinet decision was not required.
The possibility exists that the State could lose the High Court hearing, with costs being awarded against it, leading to an even bigger legal bill. But the legal advice to the State was that it should proceed.
It is understood all aspects of the Goodman costs will be appealed, as well as legal fees.