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GAZETTE
JULY-AUGUST
1979
General Meeting of the Society held
in the Great SouthernHotel, Galway,
on Friday, 3rd May, 1979
The meeting was called to order by the President, Mr.
Gerald Hickey, at 9.45 a.m. The list of members present is
recorded in the Attendance Book. The Director General,
Mr. James J. Ivers, was also in attendance.
Welcome
The President then introduced Mr. B. Claffey,
President, Galway Bar Association to the Meeting. Mr.
ClafTey said it was an honour for him to be able to wel-
come the members of the Society to Galway and ex-
pressed the hope that the Conference would be success-
ful, especially as the programme seemed most interesting.
Also, he was very pleased to have the opportunity of
welcoming the representatives of the Law Society, the
Law Society of Scotland and the Incorporated Law
Society of Northern Ireland.
Notice of the Meeting
The Director General pointed out that due to the postal
strike it was not possible to publish the customary
Notice. Advertisements had been placed in the public press
specifying the date, venue and time of the meeting. This
was accepted as adequate notice.
Minutes
As the Minutes of the Annual General Meeting held on
24th November, 1978, were published in the
Gazette,
they were taken as read, adopted and signed by the
President.
Appointment of Scrutineers
The following were unanimously appointed scrutineers
for the elections to the Council on 15th November, 1979:
Laurence Branigan, Eunan
McCarron, Alexander
McDonald, Brendan McCormack, Roderick Tierney.
President's address
The President of the Society, Mr. Gerald Hickey, then
delivered his Presidential Address as follows:-
Firstly, I would like to express my warm appreciation
to Mr. Brian Claffey for his very kind welcome to us all in
the West of Ireland on the occasion of the Society's
Annual Conference.
I hope that the Conference will contain something of
interest to you all in professional terms, and that in
addition, the social events will provide suitable pleasure
for all.
I wish to refer to a number of matters of current
interest, and concern to the Profession.
Legal education
The past year has probably witnessed some of the most
important changes which the Society has seen since its
foundation. In addition to our major move to our new
premises in Blackhall Place, this year has witnessed the
introduction, last February, of the Society's new
Education Programme, and the reception of the first
batch of students who will receive the benefit of education
under the new system.
Before leaving the subject of education, I should like to
point out that the Society has now introduced a series of
Seminars for Solicitors on various aspects of law,
including Labour Law, Consumer Law and Convey-
ancing. A Training Officer is now being recruited to
develop fully the area of continuing legal education for the
Profession, and in particular to organise appropriate
Seminars in provincial centres as well as in the Dublin
area.
A further matter which may arise in relation to the
question of continuing legal education is the provision of a
set of courses dealing with the financial management of
practices. I propose suggesting to the Education and
Public Relations Committee that they consider the
organisation of appropriate Seminars dealing with this
area, which is becoming of increasingly great importance
to the Profession in view of the staggering increase in
overheads of all kinds.
Solicitors' costs
With regard to the vexed question of costs awarded in
respect of ligitation in the High Court, Circuit Court and
District Court, the Council of the Profession has been
very concerned at the failure of various Government
Agencies to approve appropriate increases in the level of
this remuneration since 1975.
It is becoming increasingly clear that unless substantial
increases are approved immediately, the Profession is
going to have to point out to all litigants, or potential
litigants, that even if they are successful, they cannot
hope to be fully indemnified on taxation in respect of their
costs.
It is particularly unfortunate that the appropriate
increases have not yet been approved, while at the same
time, the Profession has had to accept very substantial
increases in remuneration for Law Clerks, through the
Law Clerks Joint Labour Committee.
Contributors to this issue
Mary P. McAleese, Reid Professor of Criminal
Law, T.C.D.
Liam T. Cosgrave, Auditor, Solicitors' Apprentices'
Debating Society of Ireland, 94th session.
E. Rory O'Connor, Law Agent, Allied Irish Banks.
Harry Sexton, Solicitor, former Education Officer
with the Law Society, now practising in Co.
Mayo.
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