Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

This is another important section. Here, the ombudsman can issue directions to the Bar Council or the Law Society following investigations. There is room for improvement in any system of investigation and once the ombudsman's office is up and running, in five or seven years, I would like to see it point out its successes before an Oireachtas committee.

I heard the former secretary general of the Law Society saying that less than 1% of complaints were eventually found to be of merit or substance, which is an important fact. Many people who never give up, have gone through the legal process with solicitors or barristers. The facts show that there is a substantial number of spurious complaints against the professions. In time to come, I hope the legal services ombudsman will bear that out. When that office is established it will be able to give directions, hopefully, in a balanced and guided way so that the professional conduct of the Law Society or the Bar Council can be improved overall and we will have a better service for citizens.