TDs criticise ‘shambolic’ third-party legal costs

TRIBUNALS are failing to keep a daily record of third-party legal costs set to spiral into a bill of several hundred million euro, it was revealed yesterday.

TDs branded the situation “shambolic” as the State’s financial watchdog promised to probe the matter.

The practice came to light as Finance Department secretary general David Doyle gave evidence to the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that two-thirds of tribunal costs went on third-party legal fees.