Seanad debates

Thursday, 19 November 2015

10:30 am

Photo of Sean BarrettSean Barrett (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I echo Senators Cahill and Ó Clochartaigh in praising the work of the First Minister, Mr. Peter Robinson, in bringing the peace process forward in this country. In addition to going to Clontibret, as Senator Wilson stated, I met him twice in Dublin Castle so he comes South on more peaceful visits. At the installation of President Michael D. Higgins, I, like Senator Cahill, found him to be a quiet and courteous man, and very attached to the peace process. He was working on behalf of the Unionist working class community which had been neglected by excessive concentration on the constitutional issue. Like Senator Wilson, I wish him a return to full good health, a happy retirement and the thanks of the House. A thought occurred to me that perhaps he was a quiet-spoken person because he was the Reverend Ian Paisley's deputy for 17 years. I presume that may account for his certain quiet voice and reticence in public speaking at times.

On the Order of Business, I ask that instead of Committee Stage of the Legal Services Regulations Bill 2011, we take Second Stage. It is four years since we discussed the matter. The passage of time indicates that we should revisit these issues. It is also a completely different Bill from the one we discussed four years ago. It has 75 pages and 220 amendments, approximately three quarters of which have been tabled by the Minister herself. There is no urgency about this matter. The Government has delayed long enough in reforming the legal profession and there are no reforms proposed in the Bill. There are no roles for MABS, citizens advice centres, the consumer commission, FLAC, or university economic departments. Instead, there is an amazing section 34 where the staff of the Law Society and the Bar Council join the new body. Those who have been preventing reform are invited in, and they are given pensions under section 30. I do not know what follows next - compulsory jobs in the Department of Health for the tobacco industry or compulsory jobs in the Road Safety Authority for speeding drivers. It is bizarre to bring those who have been preventing reform for the past 38 years into the new body with pensions. Large chunks of this Bill are bizarre. It is so long since we considered it properly that we should take Second Stage and then deal with Committee Stage later. I second Senator Quinn's proposal to amend the Order of Business.

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