Minister for the Environment Dick Roche is to meet the chairman of the Mahon tribunal today to discuss reducing tribunal lawyers' fees following the recent row over spiralling costs.
Mr Roche and Judge Alan Mahon are expected to have a frank discussion about the cost and duration of the tribunal in the wake of recent claims from the Tánaiste that the final bill could exceed €1 billion, a claim vigorously disputed by Judge Mahon.
Today's meeting comes three weeks before the Mahon lawyer fees are due to be reduced.
In 2004 the Government announced it would introduce a lower fee system from March 31st, 2007, after being told by the tribunal that it would be finished its public hearings by this date. The lower fee regime will automatically kick in unless the Government makes a decision between now and then to keep them at their current higher level.
Mr Roche was due to brief the Cabinet on tribunal costs last week but this was deferred pending his meeting with Judge Mahon. The next available opportunity for Mr Roche to brief his Cabinet colleagues on tribunal issues is on March 20th as the Dáil is in recess next week for the St Patrick's Day festivities.
In the Dáil last week, Mr Roche did not rule out the possibility of the Government maintaining fees at their current level given that the tribunal will not meet its original deadline to finish its public hearings by the end of this month.
Strongly hinting that the current fee levels may be maintained beyond the end of March, Mr Roche said: "There is to be a dialogue between me and the tribunal on the timetable issue. The tribunal can fairly put forward a case that legal actions have impeded its work. The tribunal has a case to make and we must listen to it."
A spokesman for the Minister refused to confirm that he and Judge Mahon were meeting today but said there was a meeting due "in the next few days".
Tánaiste Michael McDowell questioned the merits of continuing with the tribunal recently claiming costs could exceed €1 billion. This figure was strongly rejected by Judge Mahon who said costs would be about €300 million.
Mahon lawyers are believed to be strongly resisting a reduction in fees. Mr McDowell said recently it was his understanding that lawyers may walk out of the tribunal if reduced fees are imposed.