Pádraig Mac Lochlainn (Donegal North East, Sinn Fein)
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I move amendment No. 54:

In page 23, before section 17, to insert the following new section:17.—(1) The Authority shall, not later than 30 of April in each year, make a report (in this section referred to as the “annual report”) to the Minister and to the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality, or any Oireachtas Joint Committee that may replace that Committee, on the performance of its functions during the preceding year.
(2) The annual report shall be in such form and shall include information in respect of such matters as the Authority considers appropriate.
(3) (a) The authority may make such other reports to the Oireachtas as it thinks fit.
(b) A report under paragraph (a)may include recommendations to the Oireachtas in relation to any matter for which the Authority has a regulatory function under this Act including recommendations in relation to the desirability or necessity of amending legislation governing the provision of legal services in the State.
(4) The Authority shall give to the Oireachtas such other information as the Oireachtas may request in respect of—

(a)the performance by the Authority of its functions and its policies in respect of such performance,
(b)any specific document or account prepared by it, or
(c)the annual report or any report referred to in subsection (2).

(5) For the purposes of subsection (1), the period between the establishment day and the following 31 December shall be deemed to be a preceding year.
(6) The Committee shall, as soon as practicable after it has received the annual report, or a report under subsection (3), of the Authority, causes copies of it to be laid before each House of the Oireachtas.".

This is similar to a previous amendment in that this intends to strengthen the independence of the authority as seen in the public eye and remove any suggestions of the Minister providing direction. It is purely about having the body accountable to the Oireachtas. There is an existing phrase in the Bill, "as the Minister may direct", and this amendment is part of an effort to remove that type of language, with the body being accountable to the Oireachtas.