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GAZETTE

DECEMBER 1 9 88

Pract i ce

Notes

"LLOYD'S UNDERWRITERS

There is no need to apply for leave

to serve outside the jurisdiction in

cases involving Lloyd's Under-

writers. Raymond R McGovern,

Lloyd's Underwriters Sole General

Representative in Ireland of W. G.

Bradley & Sons, 52 Fitzwilliam

Square, Dublin 2, is obliged to

accept service of proceedings in

this jurisdiction on behalf of Lloyd's

Underwriters at his address.

Also, Mr. McGovern may be

n amed as De f e n d a nt in t he

proceedings as follows: 'Raymond

P. McGovern for and on behalf of

certain underwriters at Lloyd's

subscribing to Policy No. . . .

MEDICAL NEGLIGENCE

CASES - PANELS OF

EXPERT WITNESSES

In 1986, w i t h the co-operation of

the Irish Medical Organisation,

Panels of Medical Consultants who

were willing to assist Plaintiffs in

medical negligence cases were

established. The Litigation Com-

mittee is anxious to ascertain what

the experience of the use of these

panels has been.

Members who have made use of

the panel system are asked to write

to Anna Hegarty, Secretary to the

Litigation Committee, the Law Society,

Blackhall Place, setting out their

experiences of the system.

NEGATIVE SEARCHES AND

BUILDERS

The Conveyancing Committee was

asked to review the practice of

Bu i l d e r 's So l i c i t o rs p r o v i d i ng

negative searches.

The Commi t t ee made enquiries

of the Registry of Deeds and

understands that the Registry still

operates the s y s t em whe r eby

negative searches may be lodged,

written-up, taken out and then re-

lodged for updating. The Com-

mittee is of the view that the

obligation lies on the Solicitor

acting for the Builder to provide

each Purchaser's Solicitor w i th an

up-to-date negative search.

The Builder's Solicitor should

l odge t he s ea r ch be f o re t he

commencement of the develop-

ment and provide each purchaser

w i t h a copy of the search. On the

completion of the development the

search should be lodged by the

Builder's Solicitor for up-dating and

a certified copy w i t h all acts

explained/discharged sent to each

Purchaser's Solicitor. Solicitors

acting for purchasers of new houses,

should obtain an undertaking to the

above effect from the Builder's

Solicitor on closing.

DATA PROTECTION ACT 1988

This Act is concerned w i th personal

information kept on computers. It

gives individuals a right of access

t o c omp u t e r i s ed

i n f o r ma t i on

relating to t hem and a right to have

it rectified or, where appropriate,

erased. It also creates obligations

for those who keep and process

such information, including an obli-

gation on some of t hem to register.

Amo ng those who are required

to register are persons and bodies

who keep personal data relating to

racial origin, political opinions,

religious or other beliefs, physical or

mental health (other than health

data kept and used only for

personnel purposes), sexual life or

criminal convictions. Accordingly,

any solicitors

w ho keep such

sensitive data (e.g. health, criminal

convictions) on computer will need

to register.

The registration requirements,

wh e r e t hey apply, e x t end to

personal data whe t her kept on

mainframes, minicomputers, micro-

computers (personal computers) or

word processors.

The regulations necessary for

bringing the registration provisions

of the Act into operation will be

made w i t h in the next f ew weeks

and registration will commence

early in January 1989.

It will be an offence for any

person or body who is required to

register not to do so on or before

the closing date for registration,

wh i ch is expected to be not later

than mid-April 1989.

If any of the members of the Law

Society need further information or

assistance please contact

DONAL C. LINEHAN,

Data Protection Commissioner,

72 - 76 St. Stephen's Green,

Dublin 2.

Tel. 787911 Ext. 367.

EXCHANGE CONTROL

A change in the exchange controls

on transactions in foreign securities

will come into effect on 1 J a n u a ry

1989.

From that date Irish residents will

be permitted to purchase, using

Irish pounds,

(a) shares; and

(b) medium- and long-term

securities

issued by residents of the European

Communities or of other countries.

The purchase of s ho r t - t e rm

foreign securities, i.e., negotiable

securities w i t h a maturity of less

than t wo years at date of issue, will

continue to be restricted.

All transactions by Irish residents

in foreign securities, including

settlements, must continue to be

routed t h r ough Irish App r oved

Agents.

N.B. EXCHANGE CONTROLS IN

OTHER AREAS ARE UNCHANGED

A ND SHOULD BE STRICTLY

ADHERED TO.

A further communication setting

out full details of this relaxation of

the exchange controls will be sent

to Authorised Dealers and other

i n t e r e s t ed pa r t i es be f o re t he

implementation date of 1 January,

1989.

Solicitors - how public are

your private conversations?

The problem of private consultations

being overheard by those in waiting areas

is quite a common one, particularly when

the areas is close to the consulting room

Now there is an inexpensive electronic

solution to this problem that is easy to

install and requires no structural

alteration!

W i th

S o u n dma s k i n g,

conversations are kept private and

confidential

a benefit for both lawyers

and their clients. - For further particulars

contact:

S o u n dma s k i ng Ltd.

25 Harcourt StrMt, Dublin 2. Tal: 780499/780037

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