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16.1 Continuing efforts are being made to improve the
Gazette
under the editorship of Mr.
PUBLICATIONS
Gavan Duffy, and indeed many members have commented favourably on it. Advertising is a
problem, the more so, in the present difficult commercial climate. However, members could
assist by interesting client firms in the possibility of the
Gazette
as an advertising medium.
16.2 The Society, through its representatives, Messrs. Prentice, Buckley, Jackson and Ivers
is playing an active role in the Incorporated Council for Law Reporting.
16.3 In addition the Society is itself concerned with the publication of suitable legal texts.
The relevant Committee, with Mr. W. Beatty as Chairman has before it, proposals to publish
texts on:
Cases in Criminal Law
Irish Property Law
The Road Traffic Acts
Planning Law.
Some of the projects are suspended pending amending legislation, but others are well in hand.
LAW SOCIETY
REPRESENTATIVES
Francis X. Burke
Laurence Cullen
Gerard M. Doyle
Joseph L. Dundon
P. McEntee
Enda C. Gearty
Gerald J. Moloney
Robert McD. Taylor
Ralph J. Walker
LAW CLERKS JOINT LABOUR COMMITTEE
17.1 During the year two meetings of the Law Clerks Joint Labour Committee were held in
the offices of the Labour Court, Mespil Road, Dublin.
A Motion was proposed by P. J. O'Brien of the Workers' representatives: "that the present
wage rate be reviewed with a view to the appplication thereto of the terms and conditions of
the current Employer/Labour Conference National Agreement".
After hearing arguments from both parties the Chairman asked for a vote on the motion.
The Employers side did not vote and the motion was carried. A brief discussion took place
on the second motion on the Agenda: "that the terms of the national agreement regarding
equal pay be implemented".
The Chairman suggested that it might be better for the motion to be withdrawn for the time
being, and that at the end of six months the question might be re-opened. Mr. P. J. O'Brien,
who had proposed the motion, agreed to withdraw it.
17.2 The Law Clerks Joint Labour Committee meetings were considered unsatisfactory by
the Employers' representatives as they felt that since they were not a party to National Wage
Agreements they should not be bound by them. The function of the Committee was to deal
with Statutory Minimum Rates and not negotiate wage rates. Many of the Society members
were left with the distinct impression that the Committee was bound by the National Wage
Agreement and that the meetings were held merely to rubber stamp such Wage Agreements.
17.3 Subsequently there was a certain amount of publicity in the national newspapers con-
cerning unnamed Solicitors who failed to pay their staff the minimum remuneration as fixed
by the Law Clerks Joint Labour Committee. The Council expressed concern that any Solicitor
should fail to pay the Statutory Minimum. However, as no specific names had been forwarded
to the Law Society and the Department of Labour was not prepared to disclose names of the
firms concerned the Council regretted that no useful action could be taken by them. Council
was of the opinion that the individual Bar Associations, with the benefit of superior local
knowledge, could help to ensure that Solicitors in their area would not pay less than the
Statutory Minimum Wage.
17.4 Council warns members that failure to pay the prescribed minimum rate will leave the
particular member open to prosecution. It seems clear that whereas in the past, the Department
of Labour satisfied itself that the situation had been rectified, in the future it intends to prosecute
without further warning in all cases of non-payment of the prescribed minimum rate.
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