Ex-civil servant expected to head up Legal Services Regulatory Authority

A former top civil servant is expected to be named head of the Legal Services Regulatory Authority today.

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald is to nominate Don Thornhill as chair of the new regulator, the Irish Independent reports.

The appointment of Mr Thornhill, former secretary general of the Department of Education, will have to be ratified by the Dáil and the Seanad before it takes effect.

The Authority, created after the Legal Services Regulation Bill was passed by the Oireachtas late last year, is the new independent statutory regulator for all legal practitioners.

It will have an 11-person board made up of five people nominated by the legal profession and six people nominated by other bodies.

If his appointment is approved, Mr Thornhill will chair the board.

The Authority itself will assume its responsibilities from 1 October 2016.