Jim O'Callaghan (Dublin Bay South, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I fully appreciate the fact that the Legal Services Regulatory Authority is an independent statutory body, but that does not mean that questions cannot be asked of the Minister and that he cannot provide the answers for the House. It is difficult for Deputies to get answers unless we table questions to the Minister, being the appropriate Minister. In the case of An Garda Síochána we were perfectly within our rights to ask questions, notwithstanding the fact that the Garda was also independent in carrying out its functions and operational duties. The reason I ask this question is that there is a certain degree of public disquiet about the fact that the authority was established, as I stated, 15 months ago. It is the case, it has to be said, that members of the legal profession are being regulated using the old method used prior to the passage of the Act, but it is a cause of disquiet among members of the public that the new body which promises so much and which was greeted with such fanfare is not up and running. It is regrettable that it is not up and running 15 months after it was identified that it had been commenced. I asked a question about this in February and the answer I received was that the then Minister hoped it would be in substantive regulatory mode later this year. The Minister is not responsible for this, but he has to be able to tell members of the public when the body will be up and running in order that they can make complaints.

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