UNLESS the Law Society moved swiftly to regulate solicitors' advertising, the Government should introduce statutory controls, a back bench deputy said.

Mr Eric Byrne (DL, Dublin South Central) said many solicitors shared his concern that the proliferation of "ambulance chasing" advertising was undermining the standing of the profession. Local authorities and taxpayers could not ultimately bear the burden of mounting public liability claims.

"We will all pay the price for the greed of a few, in terms of reduced local authority services," he said.

In 1995, Dublin Corporation paid a hundred times as much in claims as it spent on architectural preservation. A small number of solicitors were latching on to a good thing. "No win, no fee" was their motto, and when they won there was a substantial fee.

The Minister of State, Mr Brian O'Shea, said while the Solicitors Amendment Act 1994 provided no time limit within which advertising regulations might be introduced, he understood the Law Society was reviewing the existing regulations with a view to establishing tighter controls on touting for business.