Róisín Shortall (Dublin North West, Social Democrats)
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594. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality further to Parliamentary Question No. 432 of 13 July 2017, the reforms of the legal profession he is considering ahead of the publication of the Legal Services Regulatory Authority's report; if this report will be finalised before October 2018; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36651/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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As I have previously set out in some detail in my Written Reply to the Deputy's earlier Questions No. 293 of 4 July 2017 and No. 432 of 13 July 2017, the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015 contains a series of new measures that will review the area of legal professional education including in terms of annual reporting obligations with the undertaking of a more comprehensive review of this area that will be open to all stake-holders including, on the delivery side, universities and other third-level providers of legal professional education. Under section 34 of the 2015 Act, the Legal Services Regulatory Authority is the body which has been given the specific task of preparing, with the support of a public consultation process, a comprehensive report in relation to the education and training (including on-going training) arrangements in the State for legal practitioners, including the manner in which such education and training is provided. This report is, under the terms of the Act, to be provided to the Minister for Justice and Equality by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority within two years of its establishment day, 1 October 2016.

The Government will, therefore, take account of any specific findings and recommendations that are made on these matters by the Authority in its report including in deciding the appropriate policy responses to be made.