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

Amendment No. 278 proposes to insert a new section 150 in the Bill to provide a standard immunity clause which relates in general to acts and omissions of the new authority in the performance of its functions with regard to inspections and complaints against legal practitioners unless the act or omission was done in bad faith. It provides immunity in damages to the authority and its staff and to the State. Section 150(3) of the new section provides for immunity of the authority and the State from liability in damages for any acts or omissions of the Law Society in the performance of its functions.

Amendment No. 279 proposes the insertion of a new section 151 as a complement to the new section 150 to protect the State or the authority from any liabilities of the solicitors' compensation fund. When I was discussing that the compensation fund was staying with solicitors, I mentioned that obviously we did not want the State to take on any of the liabilities which might accrue from that.