Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I support Senator Quinn's call for a debate on active citizenship. I concur with his compliments to the Irish Coastguard. I understand the trawler that sank this morning was out of Wexford. The points made by Senator O'Donovan are also apt. A debate on this issue would be constructive and useful.

I fully support the call by Senator Mullen for a debate on stem cell research. In the lead up to the referendum on the EU reform treaty, it is important that we have several debates in this House on issues relevant to the referendum campaign. We in this House can take the lead by facilitating those debates.

I welcome the Taoiseach's comments on abolishing self-regulation within the legal profession and establishing an independent regulatory commission. I hope this will apply not only to the Law Society but also to the Bar Council. Exorbitant legal fees and recent revelations cast aspersions on the legal profession in general. This is unfair because there are many fine people serving within the legal fraternity. However, it is time that self-regulation came to an end.

Will the Leader ascertain the status of the report of the Competition Authority on curtailing excessive and exorbitant legal fees? The authority deserves considerable criticism for being so dilatory in coming forward with this report. The former Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Mr. Michael McDowell, committed to bring forward legislation in this area but there has been no progress. Action is required urgently and all of us would welcome the publication of the Competition Authority's report.