29/07/2009

Abuse Inquiry Legal Costs To Be Over €52M

Legal fees will cost the organisation looking into child abuse in excess of €52 million, it has been revealed.

The official inquiry into abuse by state sponsored agencies is expected to have cost between €126 and €136m in total according to a report published today by the state Comptroller.

The report by the Comptroller and Auditor General also revealed the Commission was originally only given two years to complete its inquiry, and was expected to cost between €1.9 and €2.5m.

The Commission published its findings in May, eight years after its expected deadline.

The legal fees were believed to be the biggest contributing factor with the final costs accounting for between €52m and €62m of the final sum.

The report also estimated that administration costs will amount to €30m, while the commission's legal team will cost almost €16m.

The state Comptroller also criticised the initial investigation, saying some support work was done using counsel when less expensive staff could have been used.

(DW/BMcC)

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