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GAZETTE
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 1979
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
OF THE SOCIETY
The President Mr. J. L. Dundon took the Chair at
11.30 on Friday, 24 November 1978 in the Members'
Room in Blackball Place. A list of those attending the
meeting is filed with these minutes. The Director General
Mr. James J. Ivers was in attendance. The notice
convening the meeting was read by the Director General.
Minutes:
Having been published in the May issue of the
GAZETTE
the minutes of the Ordinary General Meeting
held in Killarney on 7th May, 1978, were taken as read.
There being no objection, the minutes were signed by the
President.
Annual Report:
The adoption of the Auditors Report and financial
accounts for the year ended 30th April, 1978, was
proposed by
Mr. A. Smyth,
seconded by
Mr. P. D. M.
Prentice
and agreed.
On the proposition of
Mr. P. C. Moore,
seconded by
Mr. J. Carrigan,
Messrs. Coopers and Lybrand were re-
elected as the Society's Auditors for the year ending 30th
April, 1979.
Council Elections:
The Scrutineers Report on the Council Election was
read by the Director General as follows:-
Valid Poll 1084
Buckley, John F. (747 votes); Dundon, Joseph L.
(694); Quinlan, Moya(686); Blake, Bruce St. John (619);
Beatty, Walter (592); Binchy, Donal G. (592); Bourke,
Adrian Patrick (586); O'Mahony, Michael V. (582);
Carrigan, John (580); Osborne, William Anthony (570);
Shaw, Thomas D. (563); Curran, Maurice R. (554);
McEvoy, W. D. (554); Hickey, Gerald (545); Houlihan,
Michael P. (528); Allen, William Brendan (525);
O'Donnell, Patrick Frank (521); Prentice, Peter D. M.
(515); Shields, Laurence K. (514); O'Connell, Michael G.
L. (503); Smyth, Andrew F. (499); Collins, Anthony E.
(493); Pigot, David R. (489); Fitzpatrick, Thomas J.,
T.D. (489); Monahan, Raymond Thomas (480);
Margetson, Ernest (476); Killeen, Sarah Carmel (466);
Cullen, Laurence,(45 7); O'Connor, Patrick (445);
Donnelly, Andrew J. O. (438). The foregoing were
returned as ordinary members of the Council for the year
1978-79.
The following members also received the number of
votes placed after their names: Doyle, Gerard M. (423);
Maher, Austin V. (374); Hoey, B. Vincent (371);
O'Connor, James Philip (351); McCourt, Philip E. (274);
Br unke r, Eric ( 262 ); O ' L e a r y, Mo na ( 242 );
O'hUadhaigh, Donal (228).
Provincial Delegate (Leinster)
Valid Poll 153: Smyth,
Michael M. (89); Hogan, Christopher, (64).
Provincial
Delegates
Returned
Unopposed
(Connaught): Patrick J. McEllin, Claremorris, Co. Mayo.
(Munster): Patrick Glynn, 84 O'Connell Street, Limerick.
(Ulster): Peter F. R. Murphy, Ballybofey, Co. Donegal.
Declaring the results of the election, the President
expressed his thanks to the Scrutineers. In doing so, he
remarked that he was glad to see that the poll was
increasing.
Report of Council
As a report had been circulated in the October issue of
the
GAZETTE,
the President took it as read. Speaking to
the report
Mr. T. C. G. O'Mahony,
asked if as a small
community, we could face the cost of computerising the
processes associated with legal practice.
The President
said he was advocating that the profession familiarise
itself with and learn to control the computer process in the
legal area.
Mr. O'Mahony,
then went on to comment on
the lack of progress being made in the matter of solicitors'
remuneration and to advocate a stronger line of action on
the part of the profession. In the discussion which
followed, the
President
and
Mr. Osborne,
Chairman,
Costs Committee reviewed the developments to date.
They indicated that some progress could be expected in
the near future. The adoption of the report was proposed
by
Mr. D. Pigot,
seconded by
Mr. J. Jermyn,
and agreed.
Bond Scheme:
At the request of the President,
Mrs. Quinlan
drew the
successful bonds as follows: £1000 prize —Bonds Nos.
1024 and 1455; £500 prize - Bonds Nos. 1185 and
1060; £250 prize - Bonds Nos. 1239 and 1469. At the
conclusion of the draw, the President encouraged
members, especially the younger members to participate
in the scheme, designed to help the financing of the
Blackhall Place project.
Annual General Meeting 1979:
This was fixed for 11.30 a.m. on Friday, 23rd,
November, 1979.
Motion:
Mr.
Heney
proposed the following motion: "That the
Council of the Society appoint a professional member of
staff to deal with Government Departments, Local
Authorities and other agencies in respect of all problems
arising in solicitors offices in their dealings with such
bodies."
In proposing the motion,
Mr. Heney,
referred to the
countless delays, beyond the control of the solicitors in
everyday practice. While he could take steps to improve
his own organisation, there was little he could do in the
case of official agencies. He was referring particularly to
the Adjudication Office, the Registry of Deeds and Local
Authorities whose delays presented great difficulties for
solicitors practising in Dublin. To deal with the problem
on an individual basis was not adequate and it was unfair
to expect a voluntary committee to deal with the problem
on a continuing basis. It seemed to him that what was
needed on the staff of the Society was a professional
person who would deal with the problems on a general
basis and ensure that the situation with the various
agencies was continuously monitored.
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