Notice of the making of this Statutory Instrument was published in

"Iris Oifigiúil" of 10th February, 2015.

I, FRANCES FITZGERALD, Minister for Justice and Equality, in the exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the European Communities Act 1972 (No. 27 of 1972), for the purpose of giving further effect to Council Directive 77/249/EEC of 22 March 1977¹ as amended by Council Directive 2013/25/EU of 13 May 2013² hereby make the following regulations:

1. These Regulations may be cited as the European Communities (Freedom to Provide Services) (Lawyers) (Amendment) Regulations 2015.

2. In these Regulations, "Principal Regulations" means the European Communities (Freedom to Provide Services) (Lawyers) Regulations 1979 ( S.I. No. 58 of 1979 ) as amended by the European Communities (Freedom to Provide Services) (Lawyers) (Amendment) Regulations 1981 ( S.I. No.197 of 1981 ), the European Communities (Freedom to Provide Services) (Lawyers) (Amendment) Regulations 1986 ( S.I. No.226 of 1986 ), the European Communities (Freedom to Provide Services) (Lawyers) (Amendment) Regulations 1999 ( S.I. No.132 of 1999 ), the European Communities (Freedom to Provide Services) (Lawyers) (Amendment) Regulations 2004 ( S.I. No.753 of 2004 ) and the European Communities (Freedom to Provide Services) (Lawyers) (Amendment) Regulations 2008 ( S.I. No.97 of 2008 ).

3. The Principal Regulations are amended-

(a) in Regulation 2(1), by adding the following to the list contained in the definition of "visiting lawyer":

"Croatia: Odvjetnik/Odvjetnica", and

(b) in Regulation 5(1), by the substitution of "Solicitors Acts 1954 to 2011" for "Solicitors Acts 1954 to 2002".

GIVEN under my Official Seal,

2 February 2015.

FRANCES FITZGERALD,

Minister for Justice and Equality.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Instrument and does not purport to be a legal interpretation.)

Consequent on the accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union and the requirements of Council Directive 2013/25/EU, these Regulations extend the European Communities (Freedom to Provide Services) (Lawyers) Regulations 1979 to 2008 to lawyers from that Member State and thereby give further effect to Council Directive 77/249/EEC which facilitates the exercise by lawyers from other Member States the freedom to provide services in the State.

1 OJ No. L78, 26.3.1977, p. 17.

2 OJ No. L158, 10.6.2013, p. 368.