Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 30a:

In page 19, between lines 22 and 23, to insert the following:"(10) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, the Authority shall not distinguish between barristers who are members of the Law Library and barristers who are not members of the Law Library and barristers who are members of a professional body other than the Bar Council.".

It is intended that the new Bill will give the authority the power to distinguish between barristers who purchase services from the Law Library and those who do not. In many ways, that is not very fair. In particular, the Bill will force non-Law Library barristers to be individually liable for paying levies under section 79 and they will be disbarred if they default. It is important to be clear that membership of the Bar Council as a professional body should be distinguished from that of the Law Library. We are giving both voluntary private organisations significant statutory functions under this Bill. Amendment No. 30aintends to draw attention to that and to ensure there is a fair arrangement for people who are not members of the Bar Council.

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