asked the Minister for Education if he is aware of the provisions made by the King's Inns to restrict entry to the profession of barrister-at-law; and if he will state (i) if these changes were made after consultation with him; (ii) if he approves of them; (iii) if the restriction will have any effect, in an upward direction, on legal fees or on barristers incomes by restricting the supply of legal services without a concomitant diminution in demand for them; and (iv) if he is satisfied if there is adequate statutory control of professional education generally to prevent, in the public interest, all artificial restrictions of supply of professional services which might tend to inflate prices artifically to the consumer for such services.

251.

asked the Minister for Education if his attention has been drawn to reports that the King's Inns are to limit entrance in the future; if he has any plans to hold discussions with King's Inns to discuss the implications of this move and with a view to increasing the number of entrants; if he will meet the Union of Students in Ireland to discuss this matter; and if he will make a statement on the matter.

With the permission of the Ceann Comhairle I propose to take Questions Nos. 250 and 251 together.

I have no function in relation to the entry requirements for the profession of barrister-at-law and no consultations have taken place with me in relation to the charges being made in that connection. In the circumstances, I have no plans to hold discussions with representatives of the Society of King's Inns in relation to the matter and I would not consider it appropriate for me to offer observations on the aspects of the changes to which reference is made in the questions.

A meeting between representatives of the Union of Students in Ireland and senior officials of my Department took place on 14 July 1982.