Joanna Tuffy (Labour)

Amendment No. 10 is important because the gist of it is that we cannot presume from the registration of a will or otherwise under this system that it is the only will or that the will still exists, as set out in the various subsections to the new section. It is important for that to be clear. While Senator Leyden's Bill is welcome, problems surround it. Senator Leyden said he had received correspondence from the Law Society to the effect that it opposed the Bill. If so, it does that with serious intentions. This amendment is an attempt to address the society's concerns.

The Bill is a good idea, which I hope will be implemented but we should not overestimate the number of people who will register their wills. Many do not make wills for superstitious reasons. As a solicitor I dealt with many people who did not make wills until they were older or, in the case of a couple, when they bought a house and had children. Even in those circumstances, however, many do not make wills. I tell people it is not the end of the world not to have a will.

The Minister of State does not appear to be listening and I wonder should I bother saying anything on this topic?