Willie Penrose (Longford-Westmeath, Labour)

It does not diminish the standing of legal professional privilege in the legislation I have outlined, which passed through this House. If my provision is included in three Acts passed in the past four years, how can the Minister make such an assertion? I am surprised by the advice of the Parliamentary Counsel in this regard. If the Parliamentary Counsel examined the legislation to which I refer, it would have noted the very provision I propose by way of my amendment. I am sure it does not undermine any legislation. Legal professional privilege is well-founded and one understands its raison d'être. It is the court that ultimately decides what constitutes legal professional privilege but my provision would constitute a belt-and-braces protection for it. I cannot understand why there is such reluctance to accept a provision contained in other legislation.

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