Eamon Gilmore (Dún Laoghaire, Labour)

On the last occasion when we dealt with this issue of regulation in October, I asked the Taoiseach about the Government's plans for regulating the legal professions and in reply he told me that there would be a legal services ombudsman, as provided for in the Civil Law (Miscellaneous) Bill 2006 that was then before the House. Since then that provision for a legal services ombudsman was dropped from the Civil Law (Miscellaneous) Bill 2006 by the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and I understand that it is intended to be introduced as separate legislation. Given that since October we have seen a parade of solicitors before the Law Society and, indeed, the courts for various forms of alleged misdemeanour and mishandling of clients' money and business, and given the statement made by the Law Society to the effect that it would now welcome State regulation of the profession of solicitors, which is a significant change in its position on that matter, does the Government intend to introduce legislation to regulate the two legal professions? When will the Bill to provide for the legal services ombudsman be presented to the House?

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