State pays top legal firm €1.5m for bill

A LEADING solicitors’ firm was paid €1.5 million for consultancy work on major Government legislation last year.

The country’s second-largest solicitors, Dublin-based A&L Goodbody, was involved in preparing a preliminary draft of the Central Bank and Financial Services Authority of Ireland Bill 2003, for which it was paid fees amounting to a little over €1.5m.

Labour Party leader Pat Rabbitte brought up the payment when questioning Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in the Dáil yesterday about the “contracting out” of legislation by the Attorney-General’s office.