Fears over new legal authority

A chara, – It is strange that, in arguing that the new Legal Services Regulatory Authority will be independent of Government…

A chara, – It is strange that, in arguing that the new Legal Services Regulatory Authority will be independent of Government, Minister for Justice, Alan Shatter draws a comparison with judicial appointments by Government (Opinion, November 21st).

Perhaps the Minister missed Paul Cullen’s political appointments special last week (“Five out of six judges appointed have connections to Fine Gael or Labour”, Home News, November 14th).

Newly appointed judges (and soon-to-be regulators) may well be of impeccable calibre. Were the Minister to ensure that justice is not only done but seen to be done in the area of appointments, that would be a true “paradigm shift”. – Is mise,

JOHN SUGRUE,

Connaught Avenue, Cork.