Hearing set to cost over €16m as legal and PR bills soar

THE cost of the lengthy hearing of the insider dealing case taken against DCC by Fyffes could top €16 million.

The hearing, which concluded yesterday after 87 days, cost both sides around €50,000 per day for barristers, solicitors and PR handlers. However, the final tally could be much more when the legal fees in the run-up to the case, which was launched in early 2002, are included.

A ruling in the case, which is being heard before Ms Justice Mary Laffoy, is not expected until October at the earliest.