Denis O'Donovan (Fianna Fail)

I also think it is an important point. I welcome the amendment because I have already raised the matter in the House. In Dublin, a number of people are registered as attorneys-at-law. In one instance, where a serious professional negligence issue arose, the Law Society told a particular client, who came to me as a constituent, that they had no recourse whatsoever. There are two if not three such people involved, which is a lacuna the Minister might examine at some time. One is either a practising solicitor or a practising barrister. As the Minister said, in some instances, there are people who have not practised for some time. I have not actively practised for a number of years, although I hold my practising certificate. That situation has arisen, particularly concerning American, Australian or European clients. Not 100 miles from the door of Leinster House, there is a sign stating "Attorneys-at-law", and they are portraying themselves as solicitors or barristers. I am not sure if any of my colleagues have received that complaint, but it is a serious misrepresentation which should be examined. The Irish word aturnae means solicitor, in effect, but there are people who hold themselves out as attorneys-at-law, yet they are neither barristers nor solicitors. This is an important amendment in that regard. I hope the Minister will examine the situation whereby people purport to be attorneys but, in effect, they are neither solicitors nor barristers.

Amendment agreed to.

Government amendment No. 3:

In page 22, subsection (1), between lines 31 and 32, to insert the following:

" "occasional transaction", in relation to a customer of a designated person, means a single transaction, or a series of transactions that are or appear to be linked to each other, where—

(a) the designated person does not have a business relationship with the customer, and

(b) the total amount of money paid by the customer in the single transaction or series is greater than €15,000;".