Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

I do not want to anticipate the Minister's response, but there is nothing in the Bill to obstruct any person appearing before the board from obtaining legal advice. Irrespective of the concerns of the Law Society, most people will seek the advice of a solicitor before going before the PIAB and nothing in this Bill will prevent them from doing that. The one difference is that the PIAB will not award costs to the applicant. The insurance companies will have legal advice all the way through. This concern has been expressed on behalf of the Law Society. To allay people's fears in this regard I will explain that the costs of the insurance companies will not be recouped by the PIAB, but neither will the costs of the person making the claim.