The Gazette 1995

GAZETTE

JULY 1995

more sense than the original proposal

which would have required those with

ambition for judicial office to first

patently manifest that ambition by

attending training courses as a pre-

qualification for possible appointment.

The Minister intends to provide in the

new Bill for a uniform retirement age

of 70 for newly-appointed judges of

the three highest courts. District Court

judges are to remain eligible for

extensions of terms from age 65 to 70

and 72 will remain the retirement age

for existing High and Supreme Court

judges. There seems no good reason

why the fixed retirement age for

District Court judges should not also

be 70, to obviate the present somewhat

demeaning process of seeking

Ministerial extensions. The

standardisation of the judicial

retirement age makes sense and would

go some way towards changing any

perception that judges should be

judged otherwise than on their

individual fitness to serve, irrespective

of what court they belong to.

Finally, it is regrettable to note that,

whereas she is proceeding with the

original proposal to make solicitors as

well as barristers eligible for

appointment as Circuit Court judges,

the Minister is apparently not willing

to extend the eligibility of solicitors

for appointment to the High or

Supreme Courts. Perhaps, in the

course of its passage through the

Oireachtas, the new Bill will at least

be amended to permit solicitor Circuit

Court judges to be eligible for

promotion to the Superior Courts after

four years judicial service - as is the

position in Northern Ireland. A

solicitor who actually demonstrates his

or her judicial abilities in the Circuit

Court should at least be able to aspire

to such a promotion.

IS YOUR FIRM PLANNING A B-B-Q?

Why not at Blackball

Place

and leave all the work to

Blackball

Catering?

For details

contact:

The Catering Manager,

Blackhall Catering

The Law Society, Blackhall Place

Phone 671 0711

President and Director General

Visit Leitrim Bar Association

he President of the Law Society

Patrick Glynn

and Director General

Ken Murphy

visited Leitrim Solicitor's Bar Association on Tuesday 30

May. The President and Director General attended a meeting of the Bar

Association and thereafter were entertained to lunch. They emphasised the

importance of solicitors opposing measures such as Section 153 of the

Finance Bill 1995. The fact that solicitors do so oppose such encroachments

on the rights of citizens is very important. It was essential that the Law

Society did so as a united body. This was very significant. It did not mean

that solicitors were condoning tax evasion. The Director General and the

President were congratulated by the President of Leitrim Solicitors Bar

Association

Michael P. Keane

on the very sensible way they conducted this

particular campaign and were assured that their efforts were much

appreciated by solicitors all over the country. Mr. Murphy was congratulated

on his appointment as Director General of the Law Society and on behalf of

Leitrim Solicitors BarAssociation, Michael P. Keane, wished him every

success in this onerous position.

Leitrim

Observer

Some members of Leitrim Bar Association with the Director General and President:

Front Row: Mary Reynolds, Solicitor, Carrick on Shannon, Patrick Glynn, President,

Law Society, Claire Moran, Solicitors Apprentice, (Cathal L. Flynn á Co),

M.P. Keane, President, Leitrim Solicitors Bar Association (Flynn & McMorrow).

Back Row: Conal Gibbons, Solicitor (Cathal L. Flynn & Co), Ken Murphy,

Director General, Law Society, Michael Keane, (Flynn & McMorrow), Peter Collins,

(Thomas P. Burke & Co), Brian Toolan, (Walter P. Toolan & Sons,

Ballinamore).

Photograph: John Keaney.

186