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GAZETTE
APRIL 1993
The Numbers Game
(Continued from p. 136)
Irish language that exists at political
level in this country and he is
disappointed that the Government
appears to have turned down an
offer from the Law Society to run
Irish courses in the Law School and
to maintain a panel of solicitors
competent to conduct transactions in
Irish in return for the removal of the
compulsory requirement. "I am -
or used to be - a good Irish
speaker, but even in my part of the
country, where it would be more
likely to happen, I have never in
nearly 20 years of practise had a
client who wanted to conduct his
business in Irish." He suggests that
if the Society wanted to call
the Government's bluff, "it could
in quite a Machiavellian way start
to use the first Irish examination
as a method of controlling
entry."
" I have never in twenty years of
practise had a client who
wanted to conduct his business
in Irish."
Pat O'Connor likes being a solicitor,
his grandfather was admitted in
1900, his father in 1937, and in
1974, exactly 37 years later, his
own name was entered on the
Roll.
He praises the job satisfaction. "It
is so much more than being a
lawyer. In the country anyway, it is
a much wider role of being a social
adviser, helping people with their
problems, in many cases being the
family confidante." He is bullish,
too, about the future of the
profession. "This profession is
bigger and better than to lie down
under any threat, whether it be
banks and building societies doing
conveyancing, or whatever."
Barbara Cahalane
•
DSBA launches
draft deed of
Separation
At a recent seminar for its members
at Blackhall Place in Dublin, the
DSBA launched a precedent draft
deed of separation. The precedent is
the result of many months work by
the Family Law Committee of the
DSBA. The speakers at the seminar
included
David Bergin, Muriel Walls,
Brian Gallagher, Tim O'Sullivan
and
Mary Griffin.
The draft has been welcomed by
family law practitioners in Dublin
and has also been warmly welcomed
by the members of the Family Law
and Civil Legal Aid Committee of
the Law Society, who have
commended the DSBA on its timely
initiative.
A limited number of copies of the
draft deed are available, on a first
come-first served basis, at a cost of
£20.00 each, from the Honorary
TVeasurer of the Dublin Solicitors'
Bar Association:
Michael D.
Murphy,
34 Upper Baggot Street,
Dublin 4.
•
Practice Note
New House Grants
The Department of the Environment
has notified the Conveyancing
Committee that, as announced in the
recent budget statement, the New
House Grant has been increased
from £2,000 to £3,000. The
Department says that the increased
rate will apply to all applicants
where:-
• a contract to purchase is made on
or after 25 February, 1993; or
• where a contract to build is made
on or after 25 February, 1993; or
• in any other case where the
required contract or contracts for
building services to the value of
at least £15,000 is/are made after
25 February, 1993 or the poured
concrete and concrete blocks used
in the reconstruction of the house
are liable to VAT at 21%.
Documentary evidence will be sought
so that entitlement to the higher rate
of grant can be established. The
existing £2,000 grant will continue to
be payable in other cases.
Conveyancing Committee
•
Obituary
Fergus L. Fahy
ob. 23 January, 1993
Just at the beginning of Spring with
the days getting longer Fergus made
his last journey down the road to
Foxford and those who knew him
said goodbye to a good colleague
and a dear friend.
Fergus should not have approved of
any obituary that sounded panegyric
so I will honour his memory by
saying the simple facts.
He was a fine practitioner especially
in that cockpit of jurisprudence
known as the Bridewell Courts. His
style was dignified: a nice mixture of
experience, thorough knowledge of
the law and firm, but well balanced,
diplomacy. He had the respect of
both the bench and the dock to an
extent that few of us can achieve.
The private Fergus was a wonderful
friend to have. He was generous with
his time, wisdom and hospitality. All
who shared in this private Fergus
were enriched by the experience. He
will not be forgotten.
May he rest in peace.
JO.
n