Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I thank the Minister of State for his response and welcome the provisions to which he alluded, in particular the legal costs Bill. I look forward to seeing that and to it replacing the Office of the Taxing Master. It is imperative that we have independent regulation in all sectors of the economy, particularly this sector. The Minister of State will acknowledge that, to date, any changes made have done nothing to improve the competitiveness element of the sector or to get better value for money from the point of view of legal service users. This must be the priority. I note the review will be finished by the end of the third quarter, which is five years since the Competition Authority report. It is important with regard to issues of this nature, which impinge on the average person and the State apparatus, that we are more responsive to our public service initiatives. I hope public service reform will prioritise the acceleration of issues such as this.

I thank the Minister of State for his contribution. He alluded to the fact that this may be his last day in the Seanad for a while. I hope he is wrong because I would like to see him back again. He has been an extraordinarily good Minister of State in the Department of Education and Skills, particularly in the area of adult learning and literacy where he has taken a great lead. Much of the work he has done will stand that sector in good stead in the future. He is a former distinguished Member of the Seanad and has distinguished himself as a Minister of State. He is from a great lineage which has made a tremendous contribution to the State. I thank him and wish him well.