Carmel Foley, Director of Consumer Affairs, has called on the Law Society to take action on allegations of wrongdoing in connection with solicitors' fees.
The allegations emerged when callers to RTÉ radio stated that some solicitors had deducted fees from their compensation from the Residential Institutions Redress Board, despite the Board also paying solicitors' fees directly.
The Redress Board was set up to make fair and reasonable awards to those who, as children, were abused while resident in industrial schools, reformatories and other institutions subject to state regulation or inspection.
Ms Foley is also a member of the Law Society's Complaints Committee and said today that she had requested the Law Society to convene an "immediate meeting of the Complaints Committee".
"Serious issues have arisen and it is essential that they be dealt with immediately and transparently," she added.
Mr Ken Murphy, director general of the Law Society has said the legal profession as a whole is disgusted and angry at the allegations.
He said anyone who feels they were overcharged could contact the Law Society, which he said had the power to ensure that where there has been overcharging, the money would be repaid.
He also said that if overcharging occurred, it would be a serious disciplinary matter for the solicitors concerned.