AQW 24389/22-27

Ms Kellie Armstrong
Alliance Party
Strangford

Tabled Date: 13/03/2025
Answered On Date: 17/04/2025
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister to detail the amount their Department has been spent on (i) solicitors' fees; and (ii) court costs in relation to legal challenges on the Irish Language Strategy in the last ten years.

Answer:

The amount spent by the Executive Office in the last ten years on legal challenges in relation to the Irish Language Strategy is set out in the table below. It is not possible to disaggregate solicitors’ fees and court costs incurred by the department. Figures have been rounded to the nearest pound and are net of VAT.

Financial Year
2016/2017	£3,470
2017/2018	£44,474
2018/2019	£147
2021/2022	£2,456
2022/2023	£38,262
TOTAL	£88,809