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Broad Discussions at Society's
Annual General Meeting
The President, Mr. David R. Pigot
presided at the Annual General
Meeting of the Incorporated Law
Society of Ireland at Blackhall
Place, Dublin, on November 12th
1987.
The formal notice convening the
meeting and the minutes of the
Half Yearly General Meeting having
been taken as read, the Chairman
of the Finance Committee, Mr.
Ernest J. Margetson proposed the
adoption of the audited accounts
and balance sheet, Mr. Brendan
Garvan queried the Law Society's
control over expenditure in view of
the increase of 24% in total expen-
diture from 1984 to 1986. He con-
tended that it was out of control
and that the increase in the
numbers paying membership
subscriptions and Practising Cer-
tificate fees should have enabled
the Society to reduce the Practis-
ing Certificate fee level.
The extra income generated by
the increased numbers was (a)
Membership Subscription £3,000
in 1985 and £10,000 in 1986 and
(b) Practising Certificate fees
£38,000 in 1985 and £27,000 in
1986, to add to the total annual in-
come of (approximately) £1m.
Mr. Margetson stressed that ex-
penditure was strictly controlled
and all items were continuously ex-
amined to ensure that they were
justifiable. The 1986 accounts
showed^such expenses as payroll
and related costs which included
an extra solicitor for the Com-
plaints Department, Public Rela-
tions expenditure on the video "Its
the Law" and "The Newsletter".
The extra expenditure had receiv-
ed the approval of Council and
such outlays, particularly the extra
professional support in the Com-
plaints area and investment in new
technology, will show beneficial
effects.
The Chairman also pointed out
that the total annual amount
payable per member was, in fact
£6 less in 1986 than immediately
prior to 1984. Mr. Garvan stated
that he was referring to the Prac-
tising Certificate fee level (the
Membership Subscription/Practis-
ing Certificate fee increased by 9%
in 1985 and 5% in 1986).
No further points were raised
and the accounts were then
adopted.
New Bye Law Proposed
In opening the Report of the
Council for discussion, the Presi-
dent said that he would take with
it the resolution standing in the
name of Mr. Maurice R. Curran and
Mr. Rory O'Donnell.
The following Resolution was
then proposed:-
"That Bye Law 38(b) be deleted
and replaced by the following sub-
clause:-
38 (b) Any past President of the
Society who has ceased at
any time to be a member of
the Council and who notifies
the Council in writing of his
desire to participate in the
affairs of the Council shall
so long as he remains a
member of the Society:-
(i) In the first year after he
ceases to be a member be
entitled to receive notices
and agendas, papers for
and to attend at all
meetings of the Council,
and to speak and vote
thereat;
(ii) In any subsequent year shall
be entitled to receive
notices and agendas,
papers for and to attend at
all meetings of the Council,
and to speak and vote
thereat provided that in the
previous year he has at-
tended at least five
meetings of the Council;
(iii) Any past President of the
Society who has ceased at
any time to be a member of
the Council and who does
not qualify under the provi-
sions of sub-clauses (i) or (ii)
above shall, so long as he
remains a member of the
Society, have the privilege
of receiving notices and
agenda papers for and to
attend at all meetings of the
Council and to speak but
not to vote thereat;
Provided however that any
such privilege as is provid-
ed in sub-clauses (i) or (ii)
above may be suspended or
removed from any such
past President in the same
manner as is provided in
Bye Laws 47 and 48 of the
Society for the suspension
and removal of a member of
Council.
Mr. Curran said that in proposing
the Resolution, he had in mind a
limited number of Past Presidents
who attended regularly at the
Council, participated in discussions
and regretted that they could not
vote. The resolution had been
worked to ensure that on particular
issues, Past Presidents would not
come out of the woodwork to have
a deciding voice on a decision. The
adoption of the Resolution would
give younger members a greater
opportunity of election to the
Council.
Mr. John Maher said that as a
Past
President
he
was
wholeheartedly in support of the
Resolution. As a regular attender at
the Council he had a feeling of
isolation in having no vote on
issues discussed. The proposal
was a reasonable compromise bet-
ween the Past President having no
vote and the interest of the elected
Council Member.
Mr. Ken Murphy said he was
against the Resolution. It would
make the Council more remote and
unresponsive to members than is
currently the situation. He listed
the votes on major issues which
had been taken over recent years
and said he did not know how the
Past Presidents would have voted,
had they a vote, but they had very
fixed views and were by nature
conservative. Several members of
the Y-ounger Members' Committee
were opposed to the proposition as
was the Committee of the Society
of Young Solicitors. He was not
convinced that in adopting it, the
Society would be going in the right
direction for the 1990's.
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