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

I still do not know the answer to my question. I still do not know when the Legal Services Regulatory Authority will be operational. I note that there are very important provisions in the Act. Part 6 will set out the new regulatory regime and the basis on which complaints can be made by members of the public. I do not know when it is going to be up and running, but members of the public should be informed about it. They have not been given any information by the Minister in his reply today. It is very important, from the point of view of the legal profession, as well as the public, that this body be up and running promptly. The impression may be spreading abroad that the legal profession is not regulated. The Minister knows that that is not the case, as do I. However, the public may not believe it to be the case when they see that a new regulatory body has been established but is not up and running. I appeal to the Minister not to adopt a passive approach to this statutory body. It is one of the many quangos that has been set up by the Government. I urge him to get out and ask the authority to become operational as soon as possible in order that members of the public can be assured that they are protected and that the legal profession is being regulated by an independent statutory body.

See this speech in context