Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

This issue was discussed in great detail in previous debates and I referred to it on Second Stage, both here and in the Dáil. The Government amendments that were made in 2013 with the insertion of sections 8 to 10, inclusive, were broadly welcomed at the time. There is no reason to revisit or reconsider these sections as they are still understood to be a great improvement on the original provisions because they address the issue of independence. This was widely debated before my time as Minister and important changes were made in the Dáil. The changes put to rest, as it were, the concerns that had been expressed regarding the actual and perceived independence of the authority from the Government. A significant number of amendments were tabled on this matter. We do not want to have any absentee members, although I accept Senator Barrett's point, which I assume refers to international expertise. However, I am sure international expertise can be accessed by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority in a variety of ways. For this reason, I cannot accept the Senator's amendment.