Over €170,000 was paid out last year to legal professionals to prosecute cases in courts in the Shannonside region.
Cases are brought before the District or Circuit Courts by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
They are normally represented by a state solicitor or barrister.
Figures released under Freedom of information reveal that the highest amount of money was paid out to legal professions representing the Director of Public prosecutions in Longford.
Last year counsel fees in the county totalled €79,380.78 with fees in Roscommon amounting to a total of €70,403.73
Fees in Leitrim came to a total of just €20,897.49.
Between January and June of this year, a total of almost €50,000 has been spent (€49,331) on legal fees - with over half of the costs of €26,559 paid out in Roscommon to date.
