An application for more than £1 million in legal costs will be made next Thursday by the former Tanaiste and leader of the Labour Party, Mr Dick Spring, in connection with the beef tribunal inquiry.
The five-year-old legal bill arises from the 190 days Mr Spring was represented. The application will be heard before the Taxing Master, Mr James Flynn. It is understood an application for costs will also be made on that day by a former Labour minister, Mr Barry Desmond.
Before the last general election, Mr Spring was accused by Fianna Fail of deferring his claim for legal costs in order to avoid a negative political reaction from the electorate.
The beef tribunal was set up by the Fianna Fail/Progressive Democrats government on the insistence of the junior partners and following allegations of corruption and fraud within the beef industry, made by Mr Spring, Mr Desmond and Mr Tomas MacGiolla of the Workers' Party in the Dail in 1990 and 1991.
Mr Spring was represented before the tribunal for 190 days out of a total of 231. During that time a move by the State to force the disclosure of sources used by opposition politicians failed. The former Labour Party leader took the witness stand for a single day, and the bulk of the allegations he had made in the Dail were adjudged to be well founded.
His legal team before the tribunal consisted of Mr Justice Brian McCracken, then a senior counsel, and barristers, Mr Gerard Durkan and Mr Finbar O'Malley. His brother, Mr Donal Spring, acted as his solicitor.
The only other politician whose legal costs from the beef tribunal are outstanding is the former Fianna Fail minister for agriculture, Mr Michael O'Kennedy.