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Costs are usually awarded by a court to a successful party on the basis that costs follow the event, pursuant to s169 Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 and Order 99 rule 2 RSC. The court may for whatever reason, seek to limit those costs to a specific date or a percentage of full recovery. The Legal Costs Adjudicators have held that where an order provides for the adjudication of costs to a specific date, the party presenting the bill of costs may not recover the costs of adjudication as they were incurred post the date referred to on the order [...]

Lodgments and Tenders on Legal Costs Order 99, rules 57 to 61 RSC provides for the lodgment of monies by a paying party in satisfaction of costs, to the Courts Service Accountant. Qualified paying parties may issue a notice of tender rather than lodge funds. Where that lodgment/tender is not beaten on adjudication by the party presenting the bill of costs, that party will be responsible for the costs of the adjudication from the date of lodgment/tender. This includes fees and expenses incurred by the opposing legal costs accountant or solicitor. Up and until relatively recently, the costs at risk [...]

This handbook is currently being updated in line with changes in 2025 that have occurred in this ever evolving area of Irish law. Legal practitioners may email [email protected] to receive a copy in January 2025.

Ms Leonora B Doyle was announced as the state’s new Legal Costs Adjudicator. Ms Doyle’s appointment is one of three Legal Costs Adjudicators within the Office of Legal Costs Adjudicators, as provided for by the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015.

Justice minister Helen McEntee has announced the appointment of the new chief legal costs adjudicator, Mr Barry Magee, who takes over this role from his predecessor Mr Paul Behan, upon his retirement. Mr Magee has been an adjudicator with the Office of Legal Costs Adjudicators since 2020 and is joined by recently appointed legal costs adjudicator, Mr Stephen Boggs. It is anticipated that a third adjudicator will be appointed in due course.

This handbook is currently being updated in line with changes in 2024 that have occurred in this ever evolving area of Irish law. Legal practitioners may email [email protected] to receive a copy in January 2025.