Michael McDowell (Independent) | Oireachtas source

I am happy to explain that to the Senator. If he looks at paragraph (d), there are two parts to it and the first part states that a person is a lay person if he or she: "has never held or occupied, an office or position in a place outside the State equivalent to an office or position referred to in paragraph (a)or (b)". There is no time limit whatsoever on that. The amendment continues: "and is not, and in the relevant period specified in subsection (2) for the purposes of this paragraph, was not a solicitor or barrister practising in a jurisdiction outside the State in accordance with the law of that jurisdiction". Subsection (2) is the 15-year period.