Joe McHugh (Donegal North East, Fine Gael)
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Question 297: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality if he will identify all assessments, reviews or reports being carried out by him under the terms of the EU-IMF programme of financial support; if these assessments, reviews or reports are being carried out internally by him or independently; when he expects each assessment, review and report to be completed; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [10661/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The commitments under the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland, in so far as they relate to my Department, are

· to introduce legislative changes to remove restrictions to trade and competition in the legal profession, establishing an independent regulator and implementing the recommendations of the Legal Costs Working Group and outstanding Competition Authority recommendations to reduce legal costs - the time-line for these actions is the end of quarter three, 2011

· to legislate for reform of the bankruptcy regime that will balance the interests of both creditors and debtors - the time-line for this action is the end of quarter one, 2012.

As indicated in the Legislation Programme announced by the Government on 5 April 2011, a Legal Services Bill to provide for regulation of the legal professions and legal costs and a Personal Insolvency Bill to provide a new framework for the settlement and enforcement of debt and for personal insolvency are in the course of being developed in my Department to meet the EU/IMF requirements.