Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 November 2013
510. Deputy Terence Flanagan asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the background to the inclusion of sections 14, 15, 16 and 17 in the Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50711/13]
View answerAs set out in the Explanatory Memorandum to the Legal Services Regulation Bill, sections 14, 15, 16 and 17 of the Bill relate to the disclosure of interests by members of the new Legal Services Regulatory Authority; a prohibition on the disclosure of confidential information without the consent of the Authority; the preparation and submission of strategic plans; the submission of annual and other reports by the Authority, respectively. These are, in essence, standard governance provisions for a modern statutory body. They are being applied to ensure that the relevant standards relating to conflicts of interests, the handling of confidential information, proper business planning and implementation, are met by the new Legal Services Regulatory Authority in a publicly accountable and transparent manner.
During the opening session of Committee Stage of the Bill on 17th July, I had started, as previously announced, to introduce a series of amendments that are intended to augment the independence of the new Legal Services Regulatory Authority by removing any extraneous pro-forma ministerial consents. I will be bringing forward similar amendments to sections 16 and 17 of the Bill whereby approval of the new Authority's strategic plans shall be by reference to the Joint Committee on Justice, Defence and Equality. These plans and the annual or other reports to be made by the Authority will be laid before the Houses without requiring ministerial approval.
I am also considering a number of concerns that have been raised in submissions about the confidentiality implications of the current provisions in sections 15 and 17 of the Bill and I may, therefore, have amendments to bring forward at a later stage in this regard. The overall intent of the provisions that have been raised by the Deputy is to ensure that appropriate governance, information disclosure and reporting standards will be met by the new Legal Services Regulatory Authority in the independent discharge of its functions.
