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GAZETTE
MAY-JUNE
COUNCIL OF THE SOCIETY
EDUCATION
Exemptions in Law Examinations
The Education Committee has reviewed the criteria for
granting exemptions in Law Examinations and has
decided that the following rules shall operate for the
Examinations to be held between 19th and 29th August,
1977, and until further notice.
1. No apprentice shall be allowed to enter for the Second
Law Examination uunless he has passed the First Law
Examination in full.
2. An apprentice will not be allowed to carry two
subjects in Second Law and enter for the Third Law
Examination at the same time.
3. Where ah apprentice has obtained four exemptions in
a single sitting of the Second Law Examination he will
be allowed
on one occasion only
to carry the
remaining subject together with the Third Law
Examination.
4. Where an apprentice (a) has been allowed to carry one
subject of the Second Law Examination together with
the Third Law Examination, (b) fails the Second Law
subject being carried and (c) does not pass or gain
examptions in the Third Law Examination, then the
remaining Second Law subject must be repeated by
itself only.
Examiners' Reports
Please note that an examiner's report is available in each
subject of the First, Second and Third Law Examinations
held in August, 1976, and March, 1977.
REGISTER
Vacancies for Assistants and Apprentices
The Society proposes to open a comprehensive register to
include the following categories, viz.
Solicitors requiring assistants,
Newly qualified solicitors seeking employment,
Solicitors having vacancies for apprentices,
Persons requiring apprenticeship.
No fee will be charged for this service. The relevant form
for inclusion on the Register will be available from
Solicitors' Buildings, Blackhall Place, Dublin 7. The
Register may be inspected during the Society's office
hours, 9.00 a.m. - 1.00 p.m. and 2.20 p.m. - 5.30 p.m.
Please address all queries regarding the scheme to the
Education Offficer.
SOLICITORS' BUILDINGS, FOUR COURTS
Please note that the Society's Four Courts office
(except for the Library) will be closed during the month of
August. Members requiring consultation rooms will be
facilitated in Blackhall Place.
LAW REFORM
COMMISSION
As part of its First Programme the Law Reform
Commission is making a study of the law relating to
the liability for injuries or damage caused by
animals, and would welcome submissions from the
Society or suggestions on any aspect of the problem
which should be brought to the notice of the
Commission.
The Commission's work will involve an
examination of the present state of the law and
consideration of whether there is justification for the
continuation of the doctrine of scienter and whether
any distinction should be made between liability for
animals used for, and necessary for, the owner's or
keeper's trade or business and liability for other
animals. It will also involve an examination of the
necessity for or the desirability of a continued
distinction being made between the liability of those
who keep wild animals and that of those who keep
what are regarded in law as domestic animals.
Members wishing to assist the Law Reform
Commission in its examination of this subject are
invited to submit comments to the Society's
Parliamentary Committee which will correlate the
material and forward it to the Law Reform
Commission.
Contributions should be addressed to: The
Director General, The Incorporated Law Society of
Ireland, Solicitors' Buildings, Blackhall Place,
Dublin 7, and be marked for the attention of the
Parliamentary Committee.
V.A.T. ON LEGAL SERVICES
The Sixth Council Directive on the Harmonisation of
Value Added Taxes was adopted by the Council of the
European Communities on 17th May, 1977.
Under Annex F of this Directive member States may
continue to exempt the services supplied by lawyers
during a transitional period which shall last initially for
five years as from 1st January, 1978 (the date specified
for the Directive to come into operation). At the end of
this 5-year period the situation shall be reviewed by the
E.E.C. Council and further derogations may be granted
where necessary.
The attention of members is drawn to the fact that at
present V.A.T. charged on Solicitors' Fees in England,
and in other Countries where V.A.T. on legal services has
already been introduced, is not payable in Ireland.