Legal services law may be in place by end of year

The Coalition is to promise one of its most contentious and delayed pieces of legislation will be in place by Christmas, leading to renewed suggestions the general election will not be held until next year.

Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald is to bring the Legal Services Bill to Cabinet next week and ministers are expected to promise to deliver the legislation by the end of the year.

Some Coalition figures last night suggested this would push the date of the general election back after Christmas, even though speculation continues about the possibility of a November contest.

Minister for Finance Michael Noonan yesterday said Taoiseach Enda Kenny must decide to hold the election within two possible windows – before or after Christmas.

The Legal Services Bill was passed by the Dáil at the end of April, but the Cabinet is expected to approve further, minor amendments next week.

Bailout deal

An element of the bailout deal, its aim was to introduce independent regulation and implement recommendations on transparency and competition.

The original legislation included proposals to allow barristers and solicitors practice together in legal partnership and in multidisciplinary practices alongside other professionals, such as accountants.

However, this will now be subject to a six-month public consultation process, after which a report and recommendations will be produced for the Minister for Justice.

Sources said the position of chief executive of the legal services regulatory authority will be advertised “very shortly”.

The promise to have the legislation in place is seen by some in Coalition circles as an indication the election will be held after Christmas, while others disagreed.

At a meeting of the Fine Gael parliamentary party earlier this week, Mr Kenny failed to shut down speculation of a November poll. However, he has previously publicly said the election will be held in spring.

Last night at the Labour Party Tipperary selection convention, which ratified the party's deputy leader and Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly as its candidate, Tánaiste Joan Burton said the election will be held in the spring.

“We’ve an excellent story to tell,” she said. “And when the general election comes in the spring, we’ll tell it with absolute conviction and absolute faith.”

She also outlined a number of legislative measures she wants passed after the budget, such as the establishment of the independent policing authority, reform of the direct provision system, reducing the term of bankruptcy from three years to one and moves to tackle climate change.