Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I have a number of other issues to raise. The Minister referred to the bible of the Bar Council in regard to responding to a couple of quotes. The Bar Council is pleased to learn it is now in the hallowed company of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions. The references the Minister made came from its submission. The Bar Council and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions are now in a conservative camp together, apparently.

With regard to vested interests resisting change, I do not believe one can include the Irish Congress of Trade Unions, the free legal advice centres and the Northside Community Law Centre in that category. I respectfully disagree with the Minister. While I defer to his greater knowledge of legal matters, I believe we need to keep the debate in focus. A range of people, some of whom the Minister would argue are conservative and others of whom I would certainly argue are very progressive, have legitimate criticisms and concerns in regard to the multidisciplinary practices and business partnerships. We are clearly not going to change the Minister's mind on this. If we are to engage in the consultation process, we must acknowledge the many legitimate criticisms from a range of stakeholders, including some of those vested interests to whom the Minister referred. If we are to go down this road, the Minister should listen to all the constructive criticisms and try to include as many protections as possible to deal with legitimate concerns that have been put to him. Deputy Shatter, being the Minister, gets to make the law along with his majority in the Government but he should try to strengthen the legislation by acknowledging constructive criticism if he is to go down the road proposed.