Department of Education spent almost €20m on legal costs and fees over three years

Education minister Helen McEntee said information around legal fees associated with litigation, advice and settlements was not always clear or readily available due to the nature of legal proceedings. 

The Department of Education spent almost €20m on legal costs and fees over three years, new figures show.

Between 2022 and 2024, the department spent €19.02m on defending claims taken against it, payments in respect of damages, amounts paid out in fees, as well as the ancillary costs related to legal action, such as medical reports or the swearing of affidavits. During the same timeframe, it also spent €808,884 on external legal services.