Brendan Ryan (Labour)

This is a brief and probably malicious question. Section 7 states:

The object of the council is to protect the public by promoting high standards of professional conduct and professional education, training and competence among registrants of the designated professions.

Is there a similar primary object in the legislation governing the Law Society or the Bar Council of Ireland, my own professional body — the Institution of Engineers of Ireland or, indeed, the Pharmaceutical Society of Ireland? The provision that the primary objective of the self-regulating body should be to protect the public is admirable and should be in all legislation dealing with the regulation of any profession. I wonder whether similar provisions exist in respect of the bodies I have mentioned. If the Minister of State does not know, it is not a fair question. However, I just want to make the point that it should be the first paragraph of all legislation dealing with the professions.