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

Great care has been taken by everyone in the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel, OPC, and my Department involved in working on the Bill. It is complex and detailed legislation. It was necessary for the drafters to take an overview of the Bill. The new and, in some instances, composite sections have led to quite a few of the changes that I am outlining now. It is important that we recommend improvements to the Bill. I am conscious of the large number of amendments, but we are determined to enact a Bill that is fit for purpose. One of the purposes of Report Stage is to consider anything that needs to be clarified, dealt with or amended and ensure consistency. I hope that we can continue to work through the amendments.

Regarding Senator Norris's point on the deletion of subsection (7)(e), the relevant amendment is No. 145 on page 25 of the Report Stage amendments. It reads:

In page 41, in the section 75 inserted by amendment 85 at Committee Stage in the Seanad, to delete subsection (7)(e) and substitute the following:"(e) where the legal practitioner is a barrister, that the Authority, in accordance with Part 9, strike the name of the person off the roll of practising barristers and inform the Chief Justice and the Honorable Society of King's Inns of the fact;".