Tribunal outlines its orders for costs

THE FIRST group of people who have received orders for costs arising from the Moriarty tribunal are collectively seeking nearly €2 million from the State.

The sole member of the tribunal, High Court judge Mr Justice Michael Moriarty, has told the Dáil Committee of Public Accounts that he has now considered and made rulings in about 40 per cent of the applications for third-party costs.

While persons who received orders for costs have presented bills for the sums they are seeking, the final amount the State will actually have to pay will not be known until a taxation process is completed.

In a letter to the secretary general to the government, Martin Fraser, and which was published by the Dáil Public Accounts Committee last night, Mr Justice Moriarty said about 200 persons had made application for costs.

“To date, I have made 59 orders in respect of costs covering approximately 79 persons. Of the third-party orders already made, the tribunal has received bills of cost of approximately €1.8 million.

“In addition to this sum, the tribunal has received a bill of costs from an affected party in the sum of approximately €1 million, which does not fall within the ordinary third-party costs procedure.”