Helen McEntee (Meath East, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I move amendment No. 11:

In page 6, between lines 19 and 20, to insert the following:

“Amendment of section 62 of Act of 2015

11. Section 62 of the Act of 2015 is amended—

(a) by the substitution of the following subsection for subsection (2):

“(2) The experience referred to in subsection (1) is—

(a) in the case of a member referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) of that subsection, not less than 5 years’ experience as a practising solicitor, practising barrister or member referred to in paragraph (c) of that subsection, and

(b) in the case of a member referred to in paragraph (c) of that subsection, not less than 2 years’ experience—

(i) as a practising solicitor or practising barrister,

(ii) pursuing his or her professional activities as a lawyer in a member state under the relevant home professional title,

(iii) practising, in a jurisdiction other than a member state and in accordance with the law of that jurisdiction, in a profession that corresponds substantially to the profession of solicitor or barrister, or

(iv) as a legal academic, where the person is, at the time of his or her appointment, a solicitor or qualified barrister.”,

and

(b) by the insertion of the following subsection after subsection (15):

“(16) In subsection (2)—

‘home professional title’, ‘lawyer’, ‘member state’ and ‘professional activities’ have the same meanings as they have in the European Communities (Lawyers’ Establishment) Regulations 2003 (S.I. No. 732 of 2003);

‘legal academic’ shall be construed in accordance with section 45A(2) (inserted by section 63 of the Judicial Appointments Commission Act 2023) of the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961;

‘practising solicitor’, ‘practising barrister’ and ‘qualified barrister’ have the same meanings as they have in the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015;

‘solicitor’ means a person who has been admitted as a solicitor whose name is on the roll of solicitors (within the meaning of section 9 of the Solicitors Act 1954).”.”.

See this speech in context