David Norris (Independent) | Oireachtas source

It is quite a big move because it involves the deletion of an entire section dealing with the requirement for a legal practitioner to hold separate accounts and so on. I am not going to fight this because it is obviously a hopeless battle, and we battled the other day. Indeed, I was glad to see that reflected in a report on "The Week in Politics." It was rather gratifying to see the Seanad included in the discussions on a major Act.

Can the Minister comment on whether this is one of the areas in which the Bar Council of Ireland exerted pressure on the Department to alter matters? That is concerning. The former Minister, Deputy Alan Shatter, a worthy predecessor to the current Minister, had an article in The Irish Timesin which he said that 85% of the Bill that he had envisaged has gone through, but 15% did not, and he very much regretted that. It very much seems as though the Bar Council has exerted considerable pressure and has had a considerable impact on this legislation. I know the Minister will be required politically to massage this, but it is a fact.