Shane Ross (Independent)

I endorse what Senators Brian Hayes and O'Toole said about auctioneers, an issue Senator O'Toole and I have raised continually in the House. When we talk about auctioneers we are talking about cowboy country, an area that is not properly regulated. It is an area that is supposedly self-regulated, similar to the legal profession as touched on by Senator Norris. The rackets that go on in auctioneering have, unfortunately, not been resolved by the commission on auctioneering which was set up as a result of a debate in this House. I will give just one example because I know we are in a hurry.

As a result of the establishment of the commission, the use of guide prices was replaced by a new system of advised minimum values, AMVs. These are a charade and the same abuse is practised under the guise of AMVs as under guide prices. It is time the Government stepped in and regulated the racketeers in a profession which is not properly regulated. This is an ideal issue on which the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform could come to the House and explain why the necessary legislation to regulate auctioneers has not been introduced.