Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I might take a moment to thank all the Deputies for the contributions they have made and amendments they have proposed, not just today but on other days as well. All the Deputies with responsibility for the justice area have done a great deal of work in this House and in committee since this Bill was published in 2011. I thank them for their constructive approach to this Stage of the Bill. Today, we have made progress with the introduction of a range of legal practice models. I think the Bill has been greatly strengthened during its passage through this House. I want to pay tribute to Deputy Shatter, who introduced this Bill in the first instance. I believe it will deliver the structural reform of legal services and legal costs that is necessary. I recognise that some fairly major additional amendments will have to be made in the Seanad.

I am very pleased that we have reached this point and that we had a very constructive debate while consolidating this reforming Bill, which is probably overdue but certainly welcome. There will be further engagement with stakeholders in advance of the discussion of the Bill in the Seanad, following which the Bill will be back before this House with some further key enhancements, as I indicated during our discussion in the House. The further enhancements, which need to be made, will help to deliver more independent regulation of the legal profession and services, which will be to the benefit of consumers, enterprise and the legal profession itself.

I thank Deputies for their contribution during the long and detailed discussions on the Bill.

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