Terry Leyden (Fianna Fail)

Today is a significant day because the Lisbon treaty comes into force. We should mark the occasion because the campaign was very successful and the vote on 2 October led the way as far as Europe is concerned to have 27 countries join the Union. I congratulate our Commissioner designate, Ms Máire Geoghegan-Quinn, on being appointed to the post of research and innovation, an important portfolio and one in which she is capable of achieving great results. She will benefit the country and as a Commissioner she will never forget her roots in Ireland.

I ask the Leader to invite the Minister of Justice, Equality and Law Reform, Deputy Dermot Ahern, to come to the House to discuss the crisis in the legal profession. Today is the deadline for obtaining the right to practise insurance, which has increased from approximately €8,000 per year to €24,000. This will put many companies and individual practitioners in great difficulty. There are 2,227 practising solicitors in Ireland and over 1,027 are sole practitioners. They will find it very difficult in the current climate to rise to the suggestion made, which has been commented on by the Law Society director general Mr. Ken Murphy. Deep concern has been expressed by the industry today, the deadline, and many companies will not have professional indemnity insurance by today. There must be an extension. There have been difficulties in the profession because of the lack of transfers at the moment and the legal situation with buildings, to the extent that 800 of the 9,000 qualified solicitors are currently unemployed. A solicitor said to me today that this is a crisis for solicitors. The Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform must intervene because conveyancing has been reduced to nil and solicitors find it difficult to survive in this climate. They are paying high interest or high rent. I have no direct or indirect involvement in this regard but solicitors provide a great service and we should intervene in this regard.