Catherine Murphy (Kildare North, Social Democrats)
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224. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality if his attention has been drawn to the fact that on 29 September 2017 the Legal Service Regulatory Authority forwarded to him two reports, section 119 report of public consultation on multi disciplinary practices and section 120 report of public consultation on certain matters relating to barristers; his plans to lay these reports before Dáil Éireann; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [48134/17]

Charles Flanagan (Laois, Fine Gael)
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I am aware of the two reports which have been submitted to me by the Legal Services Regulatory Authority on 29 September 2017. I am happy to assure the Deputy that the arrangements are being put in place for the laying to the two reports in question before each House of the Oireachtas as provided for under the relevant provisions of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. These represent the latest two of a series of five reports which the Legal Services Regulatory Authority has been obliged to prepare, including on foot of a number of public consultations, under the 2015 Act over the first year from its date of establishment on 1 October 2016. The Authority has been obliged to complete this component of its work within the tight deadlines stipulated in the Act. I also understand that it is engaged in ongoing consideration and consultation in relation to a number of the matters concerned.

The subject matter of these reports and consultations relates to the new alternative business models for the provision of legal services which are among those structural reforms covered by the 2015 Act. Namely, Legal Partnerships (solicitor-barrister or barrister-barrister partnerships - solicitors can already operate partnerships) and, as the Deputy has pointed out, Multi-Disciplinary Practices (where lawyers and non-legal service providers can offer their services together) and certain matters relating to barristers such as allowing direct access to a barrister on contentious business or allowing them to hold clients' monies. At present my Department is continuing to work with the Regulatory Authority towards the early introduction of Legal Partnerships once the necessary regulatory and working capacities of the Authority can be put in place.

As with the previous reports submitted by the Authority on these areas of structural reform under the 2015 Act, the latest two reports raised by the Deputy are in the process of being laid before the Houses and I expect this to be completed in the next week.