The Gazette 1996

GAZETTE

JULY 1996

O'Donoghue is critical of the decision not to exempt law undergraduates from the requirement to take the Blackhall Place entrance exam. Students entered their course on the understanding that the exemption would apply, after all. He also believes that much remains to be done to ensure that practitioners continue to get a decent living. "Much of the work of the profession is being plundered by other professions. As a result there is a great need for diversification, particularly in the training of young solicitors. "Much of the work of the profession is being plundered by other professions. As a result there is a great need for diversification, particularly in the training of young solicitors. Traditional areas such as conveyancing, probate and criminal law will no longer sustain people on their own." * Kyran FitzGerald is a solicitor, journalist, writer and researcher. 21 Years of Irish Homicide - Professor J. Harbison O.J. Simpson Trial, aMedia and Scientific Odyssey - Dr. Richard Saferstein The papers will be delivered on Thursday 26 September 1996 and the visit to the Laboratory will be on Friday 27 September. Further information and registration forms can be obtained from Dr. Geraldine O 'Donnell, Forensic Science Laboratory, Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8. The cost of the full Conference is £100, excluding accommodation. •

The last available figures on sentencing for drug-related offences, those of 1993, make interesting reading, in his view. While he believes that the Law Society is now forward looking, O'Donoghue is critical of the decision not to exempt law undergraduates from the "We had 71 cases before the courts. The average sentence was less than two years. This is extremely low. If they (the judges) will not hand down the sentences, then we must have minimum sentencing. Admittedly, there are recent indications that the sentences are increasing in length. This is to be welcomed." O'Donoghue believes that society as a whole must accept responsibility for the way in which the drugs problem was allowed to get out of control. "The problem was ignored while it was confined to Dublin's inner city. It was only when it became a middle Criminal law practitioners should note that a major international conference on forensic science will be held in Dublin in September next. The conference is organised by the Forensic Science Laboratory and events will include a visit to the Laboratory itself. The venue is the Regency Hotel, Dublin and the following papers will be presented: requirement to take the Blackhall Place entrance exam.

class problem that society sat up", he suggests. In his view, the consumption of drugs should be made a criminal offence along with their possession. This would allow for the real addicts to be taken off the street and placed in a new network of treatment centres where they would be detoxified over a six month period. The drugs scourge would have to be tackled in an interdepartmental fashion with health and educational agencies also involved. "There is in place a stay safe programme in the primary schools to combat child abuse. Is it not as important that children also be educated at this stage about the danger of drugs?" O'Donoghue has kept up his contact with legal practice. His wife runs the firm and his brother is also in business in nearby Killorglin. He likes to keep his hand in. His high profile would obviously be of help to him should he wish to return to full-time practice, he believes.

While he believes that the Law Society is now forward looking,

News from the Criminal Law Commi ttee

Scientific Examinations at Crime Scenes - The Israeli Approach - Dr. Joseph Almog

Advances in PCR in DNA Analysis - Dr. P. Gill

Statistical Approach to Evidence Interpretation - Dr. I. Evett

Offender Profiling - Dr. Anne Davies

Changes in Drug Abuse in Ireland - Dr. M. John Fox

Forensic Response to a Terrorist Bombing Campaign - The Northern

Ireland Experience - Dr. Gerry Murray

Advances in Criminal Investigations - Chief Superintendent T. Hickey

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