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

One of the other reforms in the Bill is to create a consultation on the establishment of a profession of conveyancer. The Senators made the point about the efficiencies of how that is done at present but it is another reforming part of the Bill.

There is not a timeframe on this section. A report in respect of the matters referred to shall be provided to the Minister within a period specified by the Minister in a written notice to the authority, requesting a report. I took note of what Senator Barrett said on Committee Stage and today, and I will write to the authority in respect of dealing with this issue as a priority. No time period is specified as the matter is at the discretion of the Minister but in response to the points made by the Senator, I will give him an undertaking that I will say to the legal services regulatory authority that I consider this to be a priority issue and I would like to see it done in the short term rather than the medium or long term. If Senator Barrett is happy to accept that, it would be a response to the points he has made on the section. I reiterate that the Bill is a reforming one and that is evident in the opening up of the system in terms of the issues both Senator Barrett and Senator Norris raise about conveyancing.