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GAZETTE
SEPTEMBER 1979
Repayment Bill 1979, The Gaming & Lotteries Act 1979, the Fisheries Bill 1979 and the
Housing Bill 1979.
6.4
Again this Committee would like to assure the profession that representations in
relation to any proposed or existing legislation are very welcome and helpful.
6.5
The Committee wishes to acknowledge the considerable help received from other
members of the Council not on this Committee. Personally, I wish to thank all my
colleagues on the Committee and Margaret Byrne for all the help and co-operation they
have given me as Chairman and for their very considerable work on behalf of the
profession.
FINANCE
COMMITTEE
Maurice R. Cnrnui
Chairman
Bruce St. John Blake
Moya Quinlan
W. A. Osborne
George G. Overend
Peter D. M. Prentice
7.1
In my first year as Chairman of the Finance Committee I am pleased to say that
substantial progress has been made on a number of fronts.
7.2
A sub-committee under the chairmanship of George Overend recommended that
the operations of the Society should be computerised insofar as this is possible and we
have, on the advice of an expert consultant, accepted a system that is based on a micro-
processor, etc.
7.3
(a)
(b)
(c)
The results of this will be that:
The information required for the issue of Practising Certificates will be computerised
which will mean, amongst other benefits, that those members who are in arrears with
Accounting or Practising Certificates can be pursued more rigorously.
The entire accounts of the Law Society will be dealt with in the most modern way
possible.
The system includes a word-processing facility which should enable us not only to
deal with general word processing requirements in the Law Society, but in particular
to deal with the constant requirement to record and update the material required in
our Law School.
Maurice R. Curran
Chairman
7.4
As a former Chairman of the Education Committee I am pleased to be able to
say that the Law School is operating within its budget, which includes a considerable level
of subsidy from the Law Society and therefore from the profession. I think it is fair to say
that our new system of education has started up very successfully and I gather that the
feedback from the country as to the quality of those who have done the first course in our
new Law School is very favourable — long may it continue so.
7.5
We have completed our building programme at Blackhall Place at a total cost of
over one million pounds and are now beginning to reap an income from these elegant and
distinctive premises upon which many people have made very favourable comment. Anne
Kane was appointed during the year as manager of the premises and is doing everything
she can to maximise income. Might I say that we have had a number of weddings,
cocktail parties and other functions, which have been very successful. To strike a different
note, the Whiddy Tribunal is now ensconsed in our premises for the remainder of its term
on an appropriate compensation basis.
7.6
Our other main source of income is the company formation service which goes
from strength to strength and is responsible for the formation of approximately 30% of all
companies formed in the year 1978 in this country.
7.7
Catering has been well looked after by Hugh Robson at different levels. Students
are being offered in the canteen, on the basis that the Law Society pays the overheads but
not the staffing or food charges, a main course at a price of £1. Members can have a four-
course lunch in the members' dining room for £3.75. In addition dinners or other func-
tions can be booked in the evening at very reasonable prices.
7.8
Fund-raising, I believe, is substantially at an end, leaving aside certain firms,
particularly in Dublin, that have not contributed at all or have contributed in miserly
terms and will be pursued. As someone who was not directly involved in this activity
(other than as a contributor) may I say that I am, and will ever be, deeply impressed by
the level of support which was given to the Society by the general body of members.
7.9
The present priority of the Finance Committee is to restore the position of
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