A move by the Government to curb certain types of advertising by solicitors relating to personal injury cases is expected to lead to new legislation being introduced early in the new year.
The Law Society of Ireland, which represents solicitors, has been informed that the Government intends to introduce such legislation.
It is understood that the Government decided to make the move because some solicitors have targeted their advertising at Army personnel following the deafness compensation claims.
The Minister for Defence, Mr Smith, informed the Dail on December 17th that the Government had decided to examine the curbing of solicitors' advertising as a matter of urgency. He claimed that some advertisements were inducing Army personnel to take compensation cases against the State.
The director-general of the Law Society, Mr Ken Murphy, said yesterday they had been given to understand that the Government was about to introduce legislation to curb solicitors' advertising. Under the rules the solicitors were advertising legally and those advertisements targeted at Army personnel were legitimate.
However, he said that the Law Society would welcome a ban on this type. Only a minority of solicitors engaged in such advertising.
"The majority would find the personal injuries-targeted type of advertising distasteful," Mr Murphy said. He added that it had damaged the image of the profession over the years.
He would not like to see all solicitors' advertising banned. They must be able to publish brochures, business cards, write articles, as it was a competitive business.
"But a ban on the type of advertising which could be called `ambulance-chasing' would be welcomed," he said.