Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I hope when it comes to the approach taken on many issues that the members of the authority will discuss them and on most occasions will reach a consensus and will not have to go to a vote, but if it does go to a vote it is important the authority is not controlled by the legal profession. This is why there are more lay people than members of the legal profession. I hope the authority does not divide on issues and that there will be dialogue within the authority. While people may have different views on different issues I hope the authority will not divide with the nominated members of the legal professions on one side of an argument and all the lay people on the other. I hope the internal workings will be quite different. Should there be a difference of opinion ultimately on an issue and a vote is taken, quite clearly the chairman, who will be a lay person, will have a casting vote. This is quite a normal structure to apply to bodies of this nature. I do not think there is unusual about this.