Fifteen private solicitors’ practices received fees in excess of €200,000 last year for carrying out work on behalf of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

Private solicitors working for the Director of Public Prosecutions were paid almost €6.5m last year.

The State sought bail of €5.8m yesterday to free one of the world’s largest fishing ships, the Dutch-owned Annelies Ilena, formerly the Killybegs-owned Atlantic Dawn.