Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 177: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality his plans to assist law graduates who are having great difficulty accessing placement and apprenticeships to allow them complete their qualification; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [13889/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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I refer the Deputy to my response to a related Question No. 122 on 4 May 2011 in which I indicated that I would seek the views of the Law Society on a proposal to remove the obligation on training solicitors to pay trainees during their apprenticeship given the exceptional circumstances that exist at present in the economy. My office has since written to the Law Society to ascertain its views on how to ameliorate the current severely limited access to the profession and I am looking forward to receiving its response. Furthermore, I should add that the frameworks for the education and training of legal professionals - both solicitors and barristers - are among those matters being considered in the development of a new Legal Services Bill in my Department.