Jim Walsh (Fianna Fail)

I would support any scheme to seek redress for the victims of the Magdalene laundries. There was one in my own town and it must be said quite a number of those who passed through the laundries had positive rather than negative experiences. However, a great deal of the report indicates that many had a negative experience and, therefore, there should be redress, but it must happen in a way that it will not become a cash cow for lawyers. It is imperative, in so far as any inquiries are made, that they are made without the attendant unsustainable costs of the legal profession. In that regard, will the Leader indicate if there is any intent on the part of the Government to implement in the immediate future the recommendations of the Competition Authority which date back to December 2006 when it sought independent regulation of the legal profession? I note some eminent senior people within the Administration have put up a defence for the exorbitant fees charged and the uncompetitive practices that have afflicted not only the State but many individuals because of our failure to tackle the abuses within the profession in an appropriate way. I refer, in particular, to barristers, even though I am aware the same is often said about solicitors, but there is at least some competition in that respect.

I support the comments of Senator John Kelly who sought a debate on the economy. It is essential that in this Seanad we keep our focus on the various challenges facing the country. I would like to believe the Seanad will play a constructive role in that regard, as it has in the past.

While many in the newspaper industry, whom I noticed had showed up here on day one but have not been seen since, would be critical of the Seanad, they have not listened to or compared the debates that have happened in this House on the challenges we face-----