Tribunal legal costs "obscene", says body

THE Federation of Dublin Anti Water Charges Campaigns has described as "obscene and an affront to PAYE taxpayers" the costs awarded to legal teams at the beef tribunal. It also claims the awards will confirm the view among the public that "a privileged elite is being handsomely looked after at their expense."

Cllr Joe Higgins, chairman of the group, said that "despite the massive costs and the uncovering of major abuses in the beef industry, not one main culprit was brought to book."

He referred to "thousands (of) decent, compliant taxpayers in Dublin who are being hauled into the courts by the county councils for boycotting the double tax water charges."

He contrasted the "diligence with which the State pursued the ordinary taxpayer, with its "utter inertia" in regard to "institationalised tax evasion by powerful interests".

A spokesman for the Law Society, reacting to the costs approved, quoted the Taxing Master of the High Court, Mr James Flynn, on the matter. Mr Flynn had said "the Oireachtas saw fit to institute an inquiry into the beef processing industry, and the State - is obliged by order of the tribunal to discharge the costs which were reasonably incurred".