Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

We are dealing with the appointment of people to the legal services regulatory authority, the modalities of that and the organisations that might make appointments. It is a matter of principle in the Bill that there will be an independent regulatory authority. Some of the issues raised by the Deputy relate to much later sections. If as a matter of principle it is accepted by members that there should be an independent authority for the legal profession, nothing hangs on what we are doing and a unique cost issue will not be created. This is about ensuring there can be no question of our handing over the independence of the body or the manner in which it operates. We will deal with other issues at a much later stage.