Fine Gael finance spokesman Mr Richard Bruton welcomed the announcement by the Minister for Finance today that he is to reduce legal fees paid to lawyers working at tribunals.
"This is a long overdue reform from the Minister, who only two years ago granted a 46 per cent increase to barristers working for tribunals. In 2002, the Minister approved an increase in the daily rate of senior counsel for non-sitting days from €1,714 to €2,500.
Fine Gael finance spokesman Mr Richard Bruton
"It has taken the Minister seven years to realise that the method of payment of legal fees was completely unsuitable for the type of work involved in tribunals. Today's belated decision should not be allowed to cover-up this Government's failure to tackle the excessive costs of tribunals in recent years."
Mr Bruton said it was also disappointing that the legislation to give effect to the new fees regime was not published before the Dáil rose for the summer.
He added that competitive tendering should also be used when selecting lawyers for tribunals of inquiry.
The Labour Party's justice spokesman Mr Joe Costello said the changes announced today were "too little, too late" and that the per-day system of fees was inappropriate for the tribunal structure.
"The changes announced this morning by the Minister for Finance will certainly be welcomed by the taxpayers who have been footing the bill for the astronomical fees being paid to lawyers at the many tribunals in recent years," Mr Costello said.
"Such changes should have been introduced many years ago. The Government have had plenty of warning about the lengthy timescale and associated costs of the tribunals.
"But even at a per-day fee of €969, this will remain a considerable drain on the Exchequer, particularly in light of suggestions that some tribunals are to last for another ten or fifteen years."
Mr Costello also suggested a form of contract with set timescales and set costs would be more appropriate to the tribunals.
The Green Party's Mr Eamon Ryan welcomed the reforms but said he was "wary" the Government might use the process "to effectively neuter the tribunal process".
He said narrowing down the terms of reference of a tribunal "could provide an easy means for the Government of the day to bury the real story and scandal."