The Gazette 1982

g a z e t t e

a p r i l 1982

apprenticeship (it is to be hoped) the apprentice will have a

little experience in a fairly large number of areas and

specific experience in a few areas of law.

Furthermore, courses have been set up in co-operation

with the universities and in co-operation with the judges

and public prosecutors. But those are aimed at more

experienced advocates. Naturally these older advocates

should also keep their know-how up-to-date and follow the

developments in law.

For this category the part-obligatory character of the

courses for apprentices does not apply and thus

participation is rather casual. This is an additional

problem for the Bar Association which for the time being

seems insoluble. Anyway the training of the young advo-

cates has the higher priority.

Thus, the training of the apprentice in the Netherlands

is still largely founded on the practical training within the

law firm. It still shows fairly large gaps, however, which

are only being partially patched by the external training

facilities, which for the time being are financed from the

annual contributions of the advocates. At the moment the

Bar is busy finding options to improve the training, both in

the form of a separate post-graduate curriculum for

advocates and in the form of an improvement of the

training facilities package during the apprenticeship

period. For this purpose, the co-operation of the

government, and particularly that of the universities, is

needed. A co-operation which has not been forthcoming

until now because of the lack of financial means.

Thus, for the time being the advocates themselves will

have to take care of, and to co-operate with, the training of

their young colleagues as far as it is financially and

practically within their power. •

Court Fees Increased

The following was issued to the media through the

Public Relations Committee on 29 March 1982:

"Government charges for starting an action in the

Courts»were increased today by between 25% and 33%.

"The new Stamp Duty for the issue of a writ to

commence an action in the High Court is now £31,

compared with £24 a year ago and £19 in March 1980.

For a Circuit Court action the initial duty is now £10,

increased from £7.50 a year ago and £6 in 1980; the

District Court charge will now be £2, double what it was in

1980.

"A Law Society spokesman said today that while the

increases may seem comparatively insignificant they are

an indication of the increasing costs being imposed by the

State on persons exercising their rights in seeking justice

through the Courts. He added: "It is vital that the State

should ensure that access to the Courts is available to

everybody, and this type of annual increase in the cost of

initiating an action could be a deterrent."

Matters of concern

Matrimonial problems will be the subject of the next

Law Society symposium, "A Matter of Matrimony", to be

held at Blackhall Place, Dublin, on May 29. Contributors

will be Mrs Kay Begg, Bristol Court Conciliation

Services;- District Justice Sean Delap; Alan Shatter,

Solicitor, and a psychiatrist, Dr Peter Fahy.

Solicitors are invited to attend and participate in the

discussions — formal and informal. Because accommoda-

tion and catering facilities are limited, members of the

profession who plan to attend should advise Miss Ann

Kane, Premises Manager, as soon as possible.

In Cork

Useful discussions followed the papers at the recent

symposium, "How Safe is your Food", held in Cork. Mr

Michael Enright, President, Southern Law Association,

and Mr Gerald J. M. Moloney, Solicitor, Cork, acted as

chairmen of the sessions. Mr Moloney, in closing th

symposium, answered a question about the Law Society's

sponsorship of such meetings by pointing out that the

profession has a caring role in society and therefore sees it

as a duty to provide opportunities for experts to present

their views on matters of public concern and the law's

relationship to them.

Speakers at the symposium were: Gerard Downey,

Senior Research Officer An Foras Taluntais; Denis

Greene, Solicitor; Lee Kidney, President, Hotel and

Catering Institute; Gerald Buckley, Chief Veterinary

Officer, Cork County council, and Mrs Mary Falvey,

Senior Health Inspector, Southern Health Board.

The participants included representatives of consumer

groups, the food industry, local authorities, UCC and the

Munster Institute. •

Practice Note

Issue of Motions for Judgment in Default

of Defence

From time to time solicitors for Plaintiffs issue motions

for judgment in default of defence, without any communi-

cation to the solicitor for the other side prior to the service of

the Motion papers. The council of the Society ruled as far

back as 1972 that a solicitor should notify his colleagues in

advance of the intention to issue the motion. The Society

feels that the issue is a matter of professional courtesy

between solicitors. •

CORRECTION

"Criminal Injury to Property" Jan/Feb Gazette, 1982

p. 5. The paragraph subheaded "Damage" should read as

follows: —

'Damage' includes the total or partial destruction of the

property and any injury thereto. Save where the unlawful

taking of property during a riot comes within the ambit of

section 6, there is no compensation for property merely

damaged though there is compensation for property stolen

and found damaged.

{Irwin

Sligo Co. Council

) [1957]

Irish Jurist Reports.