Michael McGrath (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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Question 274: To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality when he plans to have legislation enacted to remove restrictions to competition in the legal profession, as set out in the memorandum of understanding with the EU and IMF and in line with the recommendations of the legal costs working group. [14296/11]

Alan Shatter (Dublin South, Fine Gael)
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The Programme of the Government for National Recovery 2011-2016 undertakes to "establish independent regulation of the legal profession to improve access and competition, make legal costs more transparent and ensure adequate procedures for addressing consumer complaints". These undertakings complement those structural reforms in the EU/IMF Programme of Financial Support for Ireland aimed at removing restrictions to trade and competition relating to the legal professions and legal costs, namely:

- to establish an independent regulator for the legal professions and implement the recommendations of the Legal Costs Working Group; and

- to implement the outstanding Competition Authority recommendations to reduce legal costs.

I intend to give effect to the various commitments I have mentioned by way of the Legal Services Bill that is referred to in the Government Legislation Programme announced by the Chief Whip on 5 April 2011.

The commitment of the Government is to a strategy that is comprehensive, provides more independent regulation of the legal professions, better regulates legal costs and will ensure that the complaints procedures are as effective as possible. The strategy, when implemented, will improve the overall system of delivery of legal services in the State.