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G A Z E T T E
N O V E M B E R
1976
decision had yet been taken as to how the funding of
the expenses of the King's Hospital was to be under-
taken. The President stated that the members had been
fully consulted on this subject at the Ordinary General
Meeting in Westport in 1975.
FINANCE
The President then requested Mr. Osborne as Chair-
man of the Finance Committee to make a statement.
Mr. Osborne, in reviewing the financial position of
Blackhall Place, said that the cost of acquiring the
premises of King's Hospital had actually been paid more
than 3 years ago. A Reserve Fund for Blackhall Place
had been established, and as a result of wise investments,
had produced £200,000. In addition the Bank of
Ireland had made available a term loan of £250,000
which would be repayable in 7 years. As it would have
cost more to create a viable unit in the Four Courts,
they were absolutely committed to the Blackhall Place
scheme- Stage I, which comprised the central block,
had now been completed, and Stage 2, which com-
prised the South Wing, was in process of erection- The
total cost for Stages 1 and 2 would be £463,000, of
which £150,000 had already been spent.
It was essential that the Bank term loan should be
funded from revenue, and it was therefore proposed
to have a private Funding Scheme similar to annual
Prize Bonds; however the interest rate would be much
less than that of a term loan. He appealed to the pro-
fession to support the Funding Scheme.
As regards Stage 3—the former Chapel area in the
North Wing—it was hoped that this hall would be
made available for outside functions when completed.
The Four Courts premises was very valuable, and only
the parts of it which would not be required would be
disposed of gradually.
Mr. Crivon, referring to the proposed increase in the
subscription to the Society, emphasised that the pro-
fession had not yet received any increases in costs, as
a result of which it became impossible for individuals
to run practices.
The resolution "That the Report of the Council and
the Reports of the Committees for 1975-76 be adopted"
was then passed unanimously.
Mr. John Carrigan proposed, and Mr. Robert McD
Taylor then seconded the following resolution :
"1- That bye law 3 of the Society be revoked and
that the following bye law be substituted:—
"The annual membership shall be £20 for a mem-
ber who has been admitted to the roll of solicitors
for three years or upwards and £10 for all other
members or such sum as the Society in General
Meeting may from time to time determine, and
shall be payable in advance on 6th January, in each
year or on acceptance as a member, provided that a
new member accepted and joining the Society for
the first time after 1st July in any year shall be
required to pay only half the appropriate sub-
scription to the following January 5th, and such
new member shall be entitled to vote at the then
ensuing election for the Council, provided that he
shall have been a member at least one week before
the date of the election".
Mr. Crivon's objection to the Reports not having been
discussed in detail was duly noted.
Mr. Donough O'Donovan stated although he was a
retired Chief State Solicitor he wished to continue his
706
membership of the Society, provided special financial
arrangements could he made in cases like his.
Mr. Bruce St. John Blake stated that this matter had
been discussed in Committee, and that he would con-
sequently propose an amendment, whereby the new sub-
scription rate would apply to "practising members",
and that the reduced rate of £10 per annum, which it
was proposed to apply to practising members of less
than three years standing, would also apply to all non-
practising members. Mr. O'Donovan seconded the
amendment. The President stated that, in these days
of inflation, they had checked what many other organ-
isations charged as Annual Subscriptions, and that, in
the light of that information, an annual subscription of
£20 was not excessive-
The proposed Amendment to the Resolution was that
the annual membership subscription shall be £20 for
practising members- The annual membership subscript-
ion for non-practising members and for those who have
not been admitted for three years shall be £10. In
either case, the General Meeting may from time to time
determine the sum payable.
The amendment was then put to the meeting and
passed unanimously. The substantive motion, as amend-
ed, was then put to the meeting, and passed unanim-
ously.
Under the heading 'Any other business', Mr. John
Gleeson stated that a large body of opinion of the
members opposed and deprecated the increasing prac-
tice of canvassing for membership of the Council. Many
modest men of standing would never think of getting
anyone to propose them, if they knew this campaign
would have to be sustained by canvassing.
Mr. Frank O'Donnell stated that there had been a
complete lack of communication between the Society
and its members, which up to recently had been shown
by the low poll for the Council. One of the methods of
communication was canvassing, and it was necessary for
unknown members to make themselves known-
The President, in reply, stated that the problem of
canvassing had never been considered by the Council.
It was not proposed to effect a change, unless the gen-
eral body of members asked for it. He was personally
open-minded about the matter, and thought it was a
matter for every individual to determine for himself.
The date of the next Annual General Meeting was
fixed for Thursday 24th November, 1977.
Mr. F. X. Burke then referred to some provisions of
the Anti-Discrimination (Unfair Dismissals) Bill, 1976.
He pointed out that, up to a period of six months after
an employee had been dismissed, he may claim his
salary for wrongful dismissal. The onus is thus placed
on the employer to compensate him long after his dis-
missal. He was frankly amazed that the Bill had gone
to Committee Stage without opposition and thought
that the Society should look into it urgently.
Mr. Osborne pointed out that this Bill had been con-
sidered by the Parliamentary Committee, but that it
was difficult to make representations to the Minister
concerned in time, before the Committee Stage reached
the Dail.
Mr. Crivon, referring to the Education Committee
Report, criticized the present low standards of recently
qualified solicitors and requested that steps be taken
urgently to improve them- He considered the require-
ments for entry into the profession too low- He doubted
whether the appointment of an Education Officer at
£10,000 per annum would improve matters substant-
ially.
If the increases to legal staff contemplated by the