A small team made up of representatives from the Mahon tribunal, the Attorney's General's office and the Departments of Finance and the Environment has been established to examine cost issues surrounding the long-running planning tribunal.
Minister for the Environment Dick Roche announced last night the setting up of the group to advise him on the outstanding issues following a meeting with the tribunal chairman, Judge Alan Mahon.
Mr Roche will await a report from the group before he reports to the Government on Judge Mahon's request to maintain the current high level of fees beyond March 31st, when a lower fee regime is due to kick in.
Mr Roche and Judge Mahon met yesterday to discuss the cost and duration of the tribunal in the wake of recent claims from the Tánaiste that the final bill could exceed €1 billion, a claim vigorously disputed by Judge Mahon.
In 2004 the Government announced it would introduce a lower fee system from March 31st, 2007, after being told by the tribunal that it would be finished its public hearings by this date. The lower fee regime will automatically kick in unless the Government makes a decision between now and then to keep them at their current higher level.
Mr Roche is expected to be in a position to make a recommendation on fees to Cabinet at its next meeting after the St Patrick's week recess on March 20th. A spokesman for the Minister said last night he and the tribunal chairman had a "constructive meeting" yesterday about the "timescale and business requirements" for completing the tribunal's work.
"It was agreed that the tribunal registrar and a small team drawn from the Department of Environment, Department of Finance and the Attorney General's office would co-operate over the coming week in finalising detailed information around these issues. The Minister would then report to Government in advance of responding to the tribunal's request [for an extension of time]."
In the Dáil last week, Mr Roche did not rule out the possibility of the Government maintaining fees at their current level given that the tribunal will not meet its original deadline to finish its public hearings by the end of this month.
Mr Roche said: "There is to be a dialogue between me and the tribunal on the timetable issue. The tribunal can fairly put forward a case that legal actions have impeded its work. The tribunal has a case to make and we must listen to it."
Tánaiste Michael McDowell recently questioned the merits of continuing with the tribunal, claiming costs could exceed €1 billion.
This figure was strongly rejected by Judge Mahon who said costs would be about €300 million. Mahon lawyers are believed to be strongly resisting a reduction in fees.