€12.5m of child abuse commission’s €12.9m budget is for legal fees

THE Department of Education has set aside almost €12.5 million to meet legal costs associated with the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse this year.

Although the Ryan Commission issued its final report in May 2009, it is still working on payment of legal bills.

The department had set aside €12.5m for the commission last year to this end, but the anticipated level of costs from solicitors and barristers was not paid out.