Dáil Wednesday 31 March 2004

Legal fees and personal injury costs

Summary

Higgins pressed the Tánaiste about high legal fees, including a senior counsel’s charge in a Fingal County Council case. She said the Government was acting to reduce legal costs, citing the Personal Injuries Assessment Board’s aim of removing lawyers from many personal injury cases.

Joe Higgins Mr. J. Higgins Socialist Party

I ask the Tánaiste to address the issue.

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Mary Harney The Tánaiste Progressive Democrats

Using Deputy Higgins's model, we would probably have the 20% unemployment rate of many eastern European countries. I do not stand over legal fees. I agree with much of what the Deputy says regarding them.

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Bernard Allen Mr. Allen Fine Gael

What is the Tánaiste doing about them?

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Mary Harney The Tánaiste Progressive Democrats

That is why, in our insurance programme, the establishment of the Personal Injuries Assessment Board will take barristers out of most personal injury cases. They are currently involved in 70% of such cases in Ireland compared to 4% in the UK. We are doing a lot to reduce legal costs.

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Joe Higgins Mr. J. Higgins Socialist Party

There is no insurance involved here.

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Mary Harney The Tánaiste Progressive Democrats

The Deputy is talking of the fees. Barristers and other lawyers are earning a great deal of money in personal injury cases. The new Personal Injuries Assessment Board is being established with a view to removing lawyers as far as possible from personal injuries cases.

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