Robert Troy (Longford-Westmeath, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

During the course of the debate today the Minister said she would reform the guardianat litem. That is welcome. The Minister may remember in the summer of last year or earlier that the Sunday Business Postidentified these cost in the region of €28 million the previous year for legal services. In the area we have just discussed, youth work has had a cut of €2 million this year and in the same breadth we provide €28 million - €29 million for legal services. That is where the savings that have to be made should be targeted, at the provision of professional legal fees and not cutting the budget to frontline services. Will the Minister state the timeframe for reform of the guardian at litemand what savings she expects the Department will make by bringing about those reforms?