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

I have been very particular about the references to the levy to be paid by solicitors and barristers and by barristers who are members of the Law Library and those who are not to ensure the manner in which it has been dealt with is fair and appropriate based on a number of matters. The Deputy has raised an issue that is a little bit previous as this is dealt with in Part 8 and we will deal with it when we come to that Part. I do not want to go into the issue at this point in any great detail but consideration has been given to some of the issues he has raised. I will be tabling an amendment to deal with the levy that will arise in respect of practising barristers who are not members of the Law Library on the basis of that levy being paid to the legal services regulatory authority. The legal services regulatory authority will maintain the roll of barristers who are not members of the Law Library. There will be effectively a roll of barristers who are not members of the Law Library, which I understand does not exist at present.

The Deputy has raised an interesting issue with regard to members of the Bar who do not utilise the facilities of the Law Library and if they are practising barristers, presumably they have other expenditure on office outgoings and accessing legal journals or court judgments. We may need to give additional thought to that aspect but some of the issues the Deputy has raised will be dealt with when we come to Part 8 and circulate the next list of amendments. We will have an opportunity to further tease out those aspects of the matter. As I said earlier we will then have the opportunity on Report Stage to address issues that do not prove possible to address between now and the next Committee Stage debate.