The Gazette 1961

their time and energies between Council meetings to

preparing reports on various aspects of the law so

that the Council, as a whole, could consider its

attitude towards the projected reforms. Never has

one single member hesitated in accepting any of the

burdens which I have asked them to bear. No man

could have had a more willing or co-operative team

and, without their collective support, I could not

possibly have carried out my duties during the year.

Each president has expressed his thanks to his

Council but I feel that I owe a greater debt of

gratitude to the Council which has served during

the last year than any previous president has owed

to his Council and I would like each and all of them

to know just how much I value their untiring effort.

Mr. Plunkett is the right hand of every president.

He is the constant factor in the control and manage

ment of the society and no president could carry out

his duties during his year of office without the help

and guidance of the secretary.

Mr. Plunkett is

always at hand to advise the president as to what he

should do and warn him as to what he should not do.

It is only when one has had the responsibility oneself

that one realises how much the smooth running of

the Society depends on Mr. Plunkett. I am extremely

grateful to him for all the help, guidance and

assistance which he has at all times so freely given

to me during the past year.

Mr. Gavan Duffy in the library, Mr. Fit2patrick

in the office and Mr. Cusack have always been at

hand eager and anxious to do their share when the

need arose. To them, to the girls in the office and

to William O'Reilly, my most grateful thanks for

all their help and assistance.

Before I close, may I remind you all that the next

half-yearly meeting of the Society will be

Bundoran, County Donegal, on Saturday, i8th May,

1963. I hope that as many members as possible will

attend not only the meeting but for the whole

week-end.

It is with very great pleasure that I now formally

move the adoption of our report and I will ask

Mr. Lanigan formally to second the proposal.

The meeting then went into private session and

the press representatives withdrew. The president,

continuing his address, said :—

At the annual meeting last year the president

initiated a discussion on the advisability of asking

the Minister to make an Order to bring in the

sections of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act, 1960,

dealing with the question of accountants certificates.

The sections provide that a solicitor shall furnish

a certificate to the effect that the solicitor has complied

with the accounts regulations before he can obtain

a practising certificate.

The operation of these Sections is in abeyance

and can only be brought into effect by an Order of

the Minister which Order can only be made if the

Minister is so requested by the Society.

The Council made it clear to the Minister at the

time the sections were being passed that it would not

ask the Minister to bring such sections into operation

until such time as it was satisfied that the majority

of the profession were in favour of its so doing.

At the General Meeting last November it was

quite clear that a large majority of those present

were utterly opposed to the bringing in of the

sections.

At the Extraordinary General Meeting which was

held last March certain members urged that steps

should be taken to bring into effect the regulations

in question.

I, personally, feel that it would be an advantage

to the profession in the long run and would be a

considerable safeguard to the Compensation Fund if

such

sections were operative and accountants

certificates had to be furnished.

This does not mean that I wish in any way to

press for any immediate action but I would like the

profession, as a whole, to consider the matter and

examine it dispassionately. After all, we are all

burdened with the present contribution to

the

Compensation Fund and if these certificates would

help to forestall claims on the Fund they would, in

the long run, lighten the burden on each individual

solicitor.

I would, therefore, suggest that you gentlemen

and the Bar Associations throughout the country

keep this matter before you and if any of the Bar

Associations are satisfied that a majority of their

members would favour the introduction of account

ants certificates in accordance with the sections that

they should notify Mr. Plunkett so that the Council

can keep in touch with the feelings of the profession.

There may be divided counsels now but, as time

passes, more people may come to see advantages to

themselves in having these certificates and, if so, we,

on the Council, should know about it.

The president then proposed and Mr. Lanigan

seconded the adoption of the report.

The following members spoke to the president's

address : Messrs. T. D. McLoughlin, J. C. Daly and

R. J. Tierney.

The motion for the adoption of the report was

carried unanimously.

On the motion of Mr. T. A. O'Reilly the president

vacated the chair which was taken by Mr. Lanigan,

vice-president. Mr. O'Reilly then proposed a vote

of thanks to the president for his distinguished

services to the profession during his year of office.

The motion was carried with general acclamation,

There was no further business.