Attorney General v Charles J. Haughey and Others
The above case is now in the Central Criminal Court on transfer from the Circuit Criminal Court and I understand that a possible date of trial is 21st September next.
I have had under consideration for some time past the question of the fees due to counsel, Messrs Sean McKenna SC, Eamonn Walsh SC, and A. Browne BL, in respect of the services rendered by them in relation to the proceedings in the District Court.
The preparation of the book of evidence in this case presented many difficulties of an unusual nature and if I may mention in particular the necessity for absolute secrecy, it will give some indication of the amount of work which was necessitated at all material times. The book as you know was typed by detective officers and this necessitated the attendance at their office at frequent times and some of this lasted until late in the night. In this context I wish particularly to refer to the assistance which I received from junior counsel as he was present with me on many of the occasions on which I had to be with the detective officers. Their work also at the consultation in your office in the course of which all counsel were required to be in attendance and also to be available for consultation at the Law Library and elsewhere as the occasion required. I would like therefore to place regard to the fact that every possible care and attention was given by counsel from the time their services were attained and it in this context that I am submitting for your consideration fees which you might think bear some relation to the amount of work involved and of course not overlooking their responsibility in this particular case.
All in all I consider that a special fee of 100 guineas for his services in the preparation of the book should be paid to junior counsel. I consider that a brief fee of 150 guineas should be paid to each senior counsel with the appropriate fee to junior counsel.
These fees of course cover the attendance of all counsel in the District Court on 2nd July 70 when all the accused were returned for trial with the exception of Mr Niall Blaney.
Your directions please.
Senior Solicitor 30th July, 1970.