Pat Rabbitte (Dublin South West, Labour)

The Senator had alleged yesterday that the Minister for Justice and Equality had counselled or threatened the Bar Council not to come out against either of the referendums. When he was apologising this morning, he ascribed the allegation to me by suggesting I had intervened by warning the Bar Council that it would be punished in the context of the proposed legal services legislation if it were to oppose the referendums. The Senator made an outrageous allegation. I had no discussions with any member of the Bar Council, the chairman of which has been known to me for more than 30 years. I talk to him from time to time and he will testify that I did not discuss the issue with him. I had no contact with the Bar Council.