Catherine Noone (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I will contribute to the debate about lay persons and legal people.I have to leave and then I will be in the Chair. Some of what I will say will not be strictly relevant to the amendment but I hope the House will indulge me for a few moments.

My understanding is that there are two red-line issues in respect of the Bill. There has to be lay majority and there has to be a lay chair. Others have spoken about stigmatising and denigrating lay people. As a legal person, however, I am of the view that the Bill is somewhat denigrating of the profession of which I am a proud member.