Batt O'Keeffe
Ceist:108 Mr. B. O'Keeffe asked the Minister for Education her views on the number of Irish lawyers and solicitors who are emigrating to find employment. [22484/96]
Written Answers. - Emigration Statistics.
I have no details of the numbers, if any, of Irish barristers and solicitors who are emigrating to find employment.
As the Deputy will be aware, the Law Society of Ireland exercises statutory functions under the Solicitors Acts 1954-1994, in relation to the education, admission, enrolment, discipline and regulation of the solicitors' profession. The Honourable Society of King's Inns provides a course of education and training which enables its students to be admitted by the Benchers to the degree of barrister-at-law and be called to the Bar of Ireland.
In relation to law graduates generally, the report of the Higher Education Authority "First Destination of Award Recipients in Higher Education (1995)" indicates that 9.8 per cent of primary degree graduates (24) and 11.3 per cent of higher degree graduates (14) obtained employment abroad. There is no breakdown available as to what proportion of these figures, if any, emigrated solely for the purpose of obtaining employment.