Thirty solicitors struck off in 10 years

Thirty solicitors have seen struck off in the past decade, according to Minister for Justice Alan Shatter.

No barrister has been disbarred for professional misconduct during the same period, Mr Shatter revealed in answer to a Dáil question.

More solicitors have been struck off in the past two years than were struck off in the eight years before 2009, the Minister told Labour TD Anne Ferris.

Ms Ferris expressed astonishment that no barrister had been been disbarred from practising law in the past decade. "Are the public seriously meant to believe that there has been no professional misconduct by barristers that would result in disbarment over this long period?" she asked.

Self-regulation of the legal profession is not working, claimed Ms Ferris, who pointed out that about 90 barristers were disbarred, suspended or reprimanded in the UK over the same period.

She called for the implementation of Competition Authority recommendations, including the establishment of an independent legal services commission.

“Other recommendations include the creation of an independent body to oversee the training of both professions and reform of assessing how legal costs are calculated. Furthermore, allowing barristers to form business partnerships and permitting unlimited direct access to barristers is clearly needed."

Ms Ferris called for substantial and meaningful reform in the Legal Services Bill, which the Government plans to publish shortly.

In his Dáil answer, Mr Shatter said the figures on the striking off and disbarrment of lawyers came from the Law Society and the Bar Council.