OLCA disallowed almost 40% of costs in 2025
The Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicators (OLCA) allowed just over 60% of legal costs claimed in its determinations last year.
The OLCA was set up in 2019 with the aim of modernising the system of determining legal costs and making the process more transparent.
Its annual report shows that it received 905 valid applications seeking adjudication last year – down slightly from 912 in 2024.
The amounts claimed totalled just over €145 million – broadly in line with the previous year.
Road traffic tops list
Total costs in 826 completed cases, which include those that are settled before adjudication, came to €120.6 million – down from €176.1 million a year earlier.
The office made 153 determinations, allowing just under €10.4 million (61%) of costs out of a total of €17.1 million claimed.
During 2025, the category with the highest number of costs applications was road-traffic accidents (166), but the highest amount claimed (€33.4 million) related to medical-negligence cases.
Planning matters increase
The report highlighted “notable increases” in planning, professional negligence, and general litigation matters, with modest reductions in traditional categories such as road traffic and medical negligence.
It noted an increase in judicial-review (JR) applications that was in line with “the continuing upward trend in JR proceedings in the superior courts”.
The office said that the average waiting time from application for adjudication to initial hearing date remained at seven weeks, in line with the four previous years, adding that it was not considered “possible or advisable” to seek to reduce this period further.