Tribunal lawyers granted €2,500-a-day extension deal

THE Government has granted Moriarty Tribunal lawyers another temporary extension of their extraordinarily high-fee structure, it confirmed last night.

Under an agreement made between former Finance Minister and the Chairpersons of Tribunals in 2004, the fees of its most senior lawyers would be cut from €2,500 a day to €900 a day if a tribunal failed to finish its work on time.

However, in November 2005, the Government bowed to a request from tribunal chairman Michael Moriarty for a six-month extension of that date whereby its three senior counsel would continue to command fees of €2,500 a day.