The European Commission has put pressure on the Irish government to enact the Legal Services Regulation Bill by the end of the year.
There is strong opposition to the Bill in some quarters of the legal profession. One of the measures proposed by the Bill includes the setting up of “one stop shops” where solicitors, barristers and accountants could provide services alongside each other.
The European Commission’s report on Ireland’s economic performance was published this week and it called on the Irish Government to enact the Bill by the end of the year. The Bill was originally published in October 2011 by then Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter, but it hasn’t yet been enacted into law.
Bulletin readers may recall Free Legal Advice Centres’ February 2012 submission on the Legal Services Regulation Bill. This submission included a recommendation that the new legislation allow judges to grant protective costs orders in suitable public interest law cases.
Click here to read FLAC’s February 2012 submission on the Bill.
Click here to read the European Commission's report.
Click here to read an Irish Times article about the European Commission’s Report.