Dara Murphy (Cork North Central, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Amendment No. 80b.

I have noted amendment No. 81, which was tabled by Deputy McNamara and proposes the deletion of the word "and" from the list of items to be included in the roll of practising barristers. Having considered amendment No. 81a, which was tabled by the Deputy, I see certain merits in the inclusion of details regarding whether a barrister is an employed barrister for the purpose of maintenance of the relevant roll as set out under proposed subparagraph (e) and I will keep this in mind in the finalisation of the listed items concerned. Items (g) and (h) of this amendment will be addressed from various perspectives in the course of the public consultation that will consider future direct access to barristers by members of the public on contentious matters of the Bill. This will be the appropriate setting in which to resolve them. We are not clear regarding the intent of the proposed subparagraph (f), which relates to the specification of any legal or natural persons against whom a barrister has undertaken not to provide legal services but will be happy to consider it in light of the Deputy's explanations as may be appropriate.

Amendment No. 82 seeks to expedite the implementation of the new roll of practising barristers from the date of the establishment of the new regulatory authority. While we can recognise the merits of this objective at a policy level, time will be needed to establish the roll and to gather and enter the relevant details of the different categories of practising barrister concerned and whether they are operating within the Law Library or outside it. Hence, we would prefer to retain the discretion to nominate a date of operation for the roll which would facilitate the logistics of its establishment in a way that can meet the more practical challenges that will similarly arise and provide an adequate lead-in period.

On the basis of the respective responses to amendments Nos. 64, 81, 81aand 82, I will be happy to continue my consideration of the matters concerned and would be grateful if Deputy McNamara could agree to withdraw them.

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