The Gazette 1983

GAZETTE

JULY/AUGUST 1983

Society's Half Yearly General

Meeting Report

WO amendments to the Bye-laws of the

Incorporated Law Society of Ireland were passed at

the general meeting of the Society held in Dromoland

Castle, Co. Clare, on 7 May, 1983. The amendments

arose out of the desire of the scrutineers to have it clear

that if there are more votes cast than there are vacancies,

the ballot paper will be rejected; and the option which

the Senior Vice-President has of not serving as

President. This option means that until he has exercised

his option, it is not known whether there would be 30 or

31 candidates.

The amendments, proposed by Mr. J. F. Buckley and

seconded by Mrs. Moya Quinlan were passed

unanimously. One member, Mr. J. Mangan, suggested

that the voting for the election to the Council should be

on the basis of proportional representation, but the

President (Mr. Michael J. Houlihan) pointed out that

for such a proposal to be considered it would be

necessary to put it forward as a formal proposal before a

General Meeting.

Before the meeting opened Mr. Joseph Maloney,

President, Clare Bar Association, welcomed the

members of the Society and the overseas visitors.

All members stood in silence before the business of

the meeting commenced in memory of the late Mr.

Michael O'Morain, a former colleague and one-time

Minister for Justice, who died recently.

The address of the President to the meeting has been

circulated to members as a supplement to the May

edition of the

Gazette.

Presenting the report on the Society's Retirement

Fund Mr. T. Shaw said that the current value is approx-

imately £3 million, and that the average annual increase

over the eight-year period since the Fund was founded

was 27.99% free of tax. The number of members

participating in the Fund increased during the year and

the contributions from members in recent months had

significantly increased over previous years.

Mr. Shaw also reported that there had been a large

influx of new members to the associated income

Continuance Plan. Rates under the Plan have been

maintained and the non-medical limits have been raised.

The underwriters have also agreed to increase the

maximum permissible benefit to £40,800 per annum,

subject to a suitable illness structure. He added that the

terms and conditions of the Plan were superior to any

individual contracts on offer in the Irish market and

provided for partial disablement in both one's own and

other occupations. This feature was of paramount

importance to all solicitors. If illness or accident left an

individual in a situation where only part-time working

was possible it was more than likely that this activity

would be in the legal profession. The Plan paid benefit in

this type of situation, based on loss of earnings; the

normal policy paid benefit only if the solicitor worked in

another occupation. Members of the Law Society who

have effected this type of cover on an individual basis

should ensure that this protection was included in their

arrangements.

Premiums payable under the Income continuance

Plan, as with those payable under the Retirement Fund,

are subject to tax relief at the individual highest rate.

The following were appointed scrutineers of the ballot

for the Council of the Society for 1983/84:Messrs L.

Branigan, G. Doyle, J. R. C. Green, E. McCarron, A.

J. McDonald, P. C. Moore, P. D. M. Prentice and R. T.

Tierney.

The amended bye-laws, approved by the general

meeting, are:

Bye-Law

In voting, each member shall make a mark (thus X) with

ink or pencil on his voting paper opposite the name of

the candidates for whom he intends to vote. If any

member votes for more candidates for ordinary

membership of the Council, than the number to be

elected in any year, or for more than one provincial

delegate, as the case may be, his voting paper shall be

rejected.

Bye-Law37

When the poll has closed, the scrutiny shall be

proceeded with and at the last ordinary general meeting

in each year the scrutineers of the ballot shall return the

names of the 30 or 31 candidates (as the case may be

having regard to the provisions of Bye-Law 29(g) for

election as Ordinary Members having the greatest

number of votes and shall also return the name of the

candidate for election as provincial delegate for each

province having the greatest number of votes and the

Chairman of the meeting shall thereupon declare the 30

or 31 candidates (as the case may be) first returned duly

elected as the ordinary members to the Council for the

ensuing year and shall also declare the candidates so

returned as having the greatest number of votes for their

respective provinces to be duly elected as provincial

delegates for such provinces respectively.

Schedule C. Para. 1

The voter may vóte for any number of Candidates not

exceeding the number of the ordinary members of the

Council to be elected ( in this election); if he votes for

more than such number his paper will be rejected.

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