The Gazette 1979

GAZETTE

SEPTEMBER 1979

Next, apprentices were shown other relevant Probate

forms namely, Schedule of Lands and Buildings (for

Capital Acquisition Tax purposes), the ordinary Notice of

Application for Grant of Probate and the Oath for

Executor. Afternoon tea break intervened between this

demonstration and the final exercise, results from which

were as before. Each person on the course was supplied

for the day with all required papers and copy forms and

at this stage, the complete probate file of a fictitious

deceased person was examined. The final items on the

day's agenda were the statutory notice to creditors and

the calculation of probate fees. A general summary of the

day's work was then given and this concluded

the session. This day is part of a 9-day pro-

gramme on Probate and Administration and in order to

check competence and application, apprentices will from

time to time be subjected to assessment tests.

•

The reactions of the participants on the second Pro-

fessional Course are not out of place at this early stage in

its running. For one thing, the new regulations rely to a

great extent on practising solicitors and others working in

different capacities in the legal system giving up their

offices for a day or a couple of days so that their exper-

tise and experience would be available for the benefit of

the graduates on the course. In this regard, it is not in-

appropriate to quote a paragraph from the annual report

for 1978/79 of the Chairman of the Education Advisory

Committee, John F. Buckley "The great thanks of the

profession are due to all the members of the profession

and contributors from outside the profession who par-

ticipated in the first Professional Course. The willingness

with which busy practitioners have responded to requests

to participate, on a few occasions at particularly short

notice, has been remarkable." (para. 11.10, p. 163

October 1979

Gazette).

It is not envisaged that the

willingness and co-operation of practitioners will be any

less strong the second time round.

For another thing, because it is early days yet in the

second Professional Course the reactions of apprentices

might perhaps be stronger and more critical. That this

was so will be plain. "Well be great Civil Servants at the

end" said one with the unusual background of having

worked two days a week in a solicitor's office while an

undergraduate. She was honest enough to admit that her

reaction was strong and maybe, exceptional. It certainly

was exceptional when gauged against the average

comment from the fifteen or so apprentices interviewed.

All were happy that the course was very good and fore-

saw that when their integrated apprenticeships expired,

they would be truly qualified solicitors. Eamonn Mongey

made a strong point in this regard: "In terms of

confidence and capacity, these people have the best of

training and will be very well equipped to undertake and

have delegated to them a lot of work and responsibility,

when they go back to their offices."

That there were no suggestions for improvement or

criticisms would be a bad misrepresentation. Their range

Was in fact enormous. Practical problems posed were:

Would not the instalment of lifts facilitate going from

lecture hall to tutorial rooms, two floors above, and vice

ersa? and, could the closed circuit television sets be fixed

so that they are operational when required? Another

Point raised, particular to the second Professional Course

due to the larger than normal numbers taking part, was

that those sitting at tables on the wings in the lecture hall

had not a good view of the closed circuit T.V. screens

and are out of focus of the Consultants sitting at the table.

A more substantive criticism of the course expressed was

that there was a lack of uniformity in treatment and tui-

tion from subject to subject. This manifested itself in some

subjects with tuition being too academic, printed direc-

tions and forms not being standard in quality and

quantity, or instructions for tutorials not being adequate.

These aside, all are impressed. The course is demand-

ing and tiring, being from 9.30 to 4.30 or 5.00, Ave days

a week. In the end, all hope that the labour and struggles

down the quays to make it to Blackhall Place by half past

nine every morning will have been worth it.

THE TAXES ACTS

The SECOND SUPPLEMENT to the loose-leaf

volumes, "The Taxes Acts", has now been

published. The supplement embodies the amend-

ments made by the Capital Gains Tax (Amend-

ment) Act, 1978, and the Finance Act, 1979.

It is available from the Government Publications

Sale Office, G.P.O. Arcade, Dublin 1.

Price: £5

(Postage 48p extra)

Valuations...

Osborne King and Megran

G * -

A professional

service for the

legal profession

Osborne King and Megran

ESTATE AGENTS. AUCTIONEERS A N D VALUERS

32 Molesworth Street Dublin 2

Telephone Dublin (01)760251 Tele* 4622

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