The beef processor Mr Larry Goodman and his company have been awarded a total of £7.8 million in legal fees arising from the beef tribunal. So far the State has paid out a total of just over £13 million in legal fees.

Mr Goodman claimed £7,087,654.06 and was awarded £6,144,265.95; Goodman International claimed £1,997,745.69 and was awarded £1,656,287.57.

The Labour TD Mr Pat Rabbitte and the former Workers' Party TD Mr Tomas MacGiolla claimed and were awarded £1,361,271.12.

The former PD leader, Mr Des O'Malley, claimed £968,776.67 and was awarded £850,970. The former Labour leader Mr Dick Spring and the former Labour MEP Mr Barry Desmond claimed £1,979,762.25 and have been awarded £796,826.43 so far.

The Minister for Agriculture, Mr Walsh, in a written reply to Mr Ivor Callely (FF, Dublin North Central) said these awards were under appeal.

The Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, and three party colleagues, Mr Sean Barrett TD, Mr Paul Connaughton TD and the former senator and MEP Mr Tom Raftery, sought £189,693.64 and were awarded £177,593.64. The Fianna Fail TD and former Minister for Agriculture Mr Michael O'Kennedy sought £67,818.93 and was awarded £56,111.18.

The ATGWU sought £319,851.65 and was awarded £271,954.39, while SIPTU claimed £281,925.32 and was awarded £186,793.95.