Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 26 April 2022
1250. Deputy Carol Nolan asked the Minister for Justice the number of solicitors and barristers currently practising in Ireland; the number of practising solicitors or barristers who are members of ethnic minority communities or the Travelling community; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [19500/22]
View answerAs the Deputy may be aware, the Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA) is an independent body responsible for the regulation of the legal professions under the provisions of the Legal Services Regulation Act 2015. Its functions include the establishment and maintenance of the roll of practising barristers in accordance with Part 9 of the 2015 Act.
To be of assistance to the Deputy, I have made inquiries and am informed by the LSRA that there are currently 2,926 barristers on the roll of practising barristers. The Authority’s roll of practising barristers is restricted in its content by the information specified in the 2015 Act, and hence does not record how many are members of ethnic minority communities or of the Travelling community.
The Law Society of Ireland, a private body, maintains the roll of practising solicitors in accordance with the Solicitors Act 1954. That body is therefore best placed to provide the Deputy with up to date information in relation to her query regarding solicitors. However, I understand that there were 11,483 solicitors who held a practicing certificate from the Law Society in 2021.
