Richard Boyd Barrett (Dún Laoghaire, People Before Profit Alliance)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

81. To ask the Minister for Justice and Equality the status of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015; if the regulator has been established, the name of the regulator; and the procedure for lodging a complaint. [9367/16]

Frances Fitzgerald (Dublin Mid West, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

Preparations for the phased commencement of the Legal Services Regulation Act are already under way. A necessary first step is the appointment of the new and independent Legal Services Regulatory Authority after which the Authority will appoint its own Chief Executive. I can confirm that nominations to the new Legal Services Regulatory Authority have been received from the relevant nominating bodies as set out in the Legal Services Regulation Act. The appointment of the relevant nominees and Chair under the various criteria set out in the Act will then be subject to approval by resolution of both Houses of the Oireachtas. At the same time, preparations are also being made in support of the public recruitment, by the new Regulatory Authority, of its Chief Executive whose terms and functions are similarly set out in the 2015 Act. A start-up support team is being established and efforts are already underway to find a suitable premises from which the new Authority can operate.

These various measures represent the initial steps that will enable the members and Chief Executive of the new Regulatory Authority to spearhead the coming into operation of the new legal services regulatory regime. This phase will also include, at the appropriate time, the commencement of other Parts of the Act such as those dealing with legal costs, the new Office of the Legal Costs Adjudicator, the Roll of Practising Barristers and Pre-Action Protocols.

Following establishment of the Regulatory Authority, its recruitment of a Chief Executive and such commencements of the Act as take place between now and September, the key remaining Parts of the Act dealing with the new public complaints and professional conduct and disciplinary procedures and the appointment of the new Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Tribunal, will then be introduced. These will apply to both solicitors and barristers as legal practitioners. The managed commencement of these critical functions is planned for the Autumn in order to allow adequate time to ensure their effectiveness and success as crucial components of the new regulatory framework. It should be noted that, under the relevant transitional provisions, complaints already made to the Law Society under the Solicitors Acts will be brought to completion under that framework and existing law.

In support of the planned and managed commencement of the relevant Parts of the 2015 Act proposed, as I have outlined, between now and the end of this year, an allocation of €1 million has been made under the Justice Vote for 2016 as set-up support for the new Regulatory Authority which will be provided on a recoupable basis.