Minister for Justice rejects SF proposal to add advocacy groups to new legal body

A Sinn Féin proposal to include advocacy groups on the board of the new independent legal services regulatory authority was rejected by Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald.

The party’s justice spokesman, Pádraig Mac Lochlainn, argued that “a place at the table’’ should be found for organisations such as the Free Legal Advice Centres and the Irish Council for Civil Liberties.

He said there should also be a place for other groups that were champions of, or advocates for, citizens and provided a challenge in terms of how the administration of justice worked.

“Having people of that calibre on the authority could only strengthen it,’’ Mr Mac Lochlainn added. “They would be alternative voices.’’

He was speaking during the final stage debate on the Legal Services Regulation Bill 2011, setting up the authority.

Mr Mac Lochlainn said the Minister should “consider seriously the error of not including them on this board for the sake of two extra places’’.

The Minister, he added, had argued that Ictu and Ibec need not be on the authority because it was not a social partnership model, which he reluctantly accepted.

“However, I do not understand why she cannot include the advocacy organisations that are so respected in the community and that could bring a dynamic to the authority that does not exist based on the current membership,’’ Mr Mac Lochlainn said.

Ms Fitzgerald responded that, as currently constituted, the balance of interests was well represented on the regulatory authority.

“It is not exclusive and does not exclude any particular perspective,’’ she said. “It brings a broad range of perspectives to bear on decision-making.’’

Ultimately, she said, the wish was to have an authority that worked effectively and that had the numbers leading to good decision-making. “I am satisfied the current approach achieves that.”

Ms Fitzgerald said authority members would be nominated independently of the Government. Their terms and maximum duration of office, including the modalities of resignation, removal and disqualification, and the filling of temporary vacancies, were set out.

The Minister said anybody would accept that the bodies on the authority represented a broad range of groups and concerns.

Obviously, it was important the legal profession was represented, as well as consumers and those with specialist knowledge, she added.

The Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission brought a wealth of experience to the board, said the Minister.

She said she had explained in detail the direction taken on representation and she believed that, as currently constituted, the balance of interests was well represented.