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way commit The Incorporated Law Society of
Ireland.’
“ When I addressed you last May at the half
yearly Meeting, I spoke at some length on the
education o f our apprentices, and I do not now
propose to reiterate what I said then, but there is
one matter, which I did not mention, but which is
o f vital concern to all apprentices. I refer to the
Legal Practitioner’s Qualification Act, 1929. As
you probably know, the substance o f the Act is
that no person may be bound as an apprentice until
he has passed a first examination in Irish, the standard
o f which examination has been based on that of the
Leaving Certificate or open Matriculation exam
ination, and before any person can be admitted to
the Roll o f Solicitors, a second examination must be
passed, and that standard means, quoting the
ipsissima verba o f the Act ‘ such a degree o f oral
and written proficiency in the use o f the language
as is sufficient to enable a legal practitioner effec-
tiently to receive instructions, to advise clients, to
examine witnesses and to follow proceedings in the
Irish language.’ I refer to this Act with a certain
diffidence and reluctance, but I feel that the time
has come to review its effects. I do not wish for a
moment to denigrate or to discourage an interest in
the Irish language, but I do feel, in fact I know that
the Act has not worked as it was hoped for or
intended. I can assure you that the requirements of
the Act have been observed by this Society with the
utmost conscience, but I must say, because I know
it is the truth that there are to-day literally hundreds
o f solicitors of the younger generation, who, if I
may use a slang expression ‘ couldn’t care less ’
about the language. They were forced to study a
certain subject during their formative years, and
because it was compulsory, and to many of them
appeared otiose, once they achieved the required
standard, they quickly lost all interest and almost
deliberately endeavoured to forget what they had
learned. No, if the language is to be encouraged, its
learning must be put on a truly voluntary basis.
I venture to say that if an Act was passed giving
solicitors, o f say not more than seven years standing,
and who could satisfy the authorities o f a certain
degree o f proficiency in the language, and having
acquired that standard of knowledge could receive
some public or statutory privilege, there would,
within a very few years, be a far larger number of
bi-lingual solicitors and real enthusiasts for the
language.
“ The Act to which I have just referred, although
passed in 1929, did not, in fact, become operative
until the year 1932, because it applied only to persons
who were under the age o f 15 years on the 1st
October, 1929, and the average age o f intending
apprentices was and still is 18 years. In the year
1865 it was decided that candidates for the Final
examination who obtained 85 per cent, or more of
the maximum marks should receive a gold medal;
those who achieved a standard o f 75 per cent., but
less than 85 per cent, a silver medal and those who
obtained 70 per cent, o f the marks but less than
75'per cent, a special certificate. Between the years
19 11 and 1931, that is a period o f twenty years
immediately preceding the working o f the Act, 27
gold medals were awarded ; 58 silver medals and
87 special certificates. Between the years 1932 and
1952, no gold medals were awarded, 33 silver
medals were awarded and special certificates were
given to 42 candidates. Those figures must speak
tor themselves, and I am satisfied that the principal
cause o f the all-round deterioration is the immense
amount of extra work devolving on apprentices in
connection with the Irish language, and thereby
depriving them o f the time that used to be devoted
to the purely legal subjects.
“ Since I last had the pleasure o f addressing you
a Courts o f Justice Bill has been published, and it is
now going through its Parliamentary stages, and
should be enacted very soon. I think you will agree
that its main provisions are acceptable to out-
profession. We welcome the section dealing with
the appointment o f an additional Lligh Court Judge.
That should go a fair way to relieving the delay in
the hearing of High Court actions. Again, we cannot
disagree with the provisions for the increase in the
jurisdiction o f the Circuit and District Courts.
This is merely taking cognisance o f the change—
and what a change, in the value o f money since the
passing o f the Courts o f Justice Act in 1924. We are
glad to note that the Minister does not propose to
reduce the number of Circuits, as was originally
provided for in the Bill. We did oppose that
reduction very strongly, and we are grateful to the
Minister for not proceeding with the change as
originally contemplated.
Finally, we are not
unnaturally pleased that under this Bill it is provided
that the Law Society shall have two nominees on the
Superior Courts Rules Committee.
“ I wish I could speak with the same incandescence
about our own Bill, but alas, I have little if anything
to add to my remarks on the last occasion. All we do
know is that the Bill is at present before the Govern
ment, and has been printed. We understand that in
due course, the Government will let us have their
observations, but when, in fact, we shall receive an
official communication, I just cannot say. As you
know we regard its passing as a matter of the
greatest urgency, not only in the. interests o f the
Profession, but equally in the public interest, and
I think that if we do not receive irt the near future
from the Government, some assurance of their
intention to have it introduced in Parliament, we