The Gazette 1961 - 64

their time and energies between Council meetings to preparing reports on various aspects of the law so that the Council, as a whole, could consider its attitude towards the projected reforms. Never has one single member hesitated in accepting any of the burdens which I have asked them to bear. No man could have had a more willing or co-operative team and, without their collective support, I could not possibly have carried out my duties during the year. Each president has expressed his thanks to his Council but I feel that I owe a greater debt of gratitude to the Council which has served during the last year than any previous president has owed to his Council and I would like each and all of them to know just how much I value their untiring effort. Mr. Plunkett is the right hand of every president. He is the constant factor in the control and manage ment of the society and no president could carry out his duties during his year of office without the help and guidance of the secretary. Mr. Plunkett is always at hand to advise the president as to what he should do and warn him as to what he should not do. It is only when one has had the responsibility oneself that one realises how much the smooth running of the Society depends on Mr. Plunkett. I am extremely grateful to him for all the help, guidance and assistance which he has at all times so freely given to me during the past year. Mr. Gavan Duffy in the library, Mr. Fit2patrick in the office and Mr. Cusack have always been at hand eager and anxious to do their share when the need arose. To them, to the girls in the office and to William O'Reilly, my most grateful thanks for all their help and assistance. Before I close, may I remind you all that the next half-yearly meeting of the Society will be in Bundoran, County Donegal, on Saturday, i8th May, 1963. I hope that as many members as possible will attend not only the meeting but for the whole week-end. It is with very great pleasure that I now formally move the adoption of our report and I will ask Mr. Lanigan formally to second the proposal. The meeting then went into private session and the press representatives withdrew. The president, continuing his address, said :— At the annual meeting last year the president initiated a discussion on the advisability of asking the Minister to make an Order to bring in the sections of the Solicitors (Amendment) Act, 1960, dealing with the question of accountants certificates. The sections provide that a solicitor shall furnish a certificate to the effect that the solicitor has complied with the accounts regulations before he can obtain a practising certificate. The operation of these Sections is in abeyance

and can only be brought into effect by an Order of the Minister which Order can only be made if the Minister is so requested by the Society. The Council made it clear to the Minister at the time the sections were being passed that it would not ask the Minister to bring such sections into operation until such time as it was satisfied that the majority of the profession were in favour of its so doing. At the General Meeting last November it was quite clear that a large majority of those present were utterly opposed to the bringing in of the sections. At the Extraordinary General Meeting which was held last March certain members urged that steps should be taken to bring into effect the regulations in question. I, personally, feel that it would be an advantage to the profession in the long run and would be a considerable safeguard to the Compensation Fund if such sections were operative and accountants certificates had to be furnished. This does not mean that I wish in any way to press for any immediate action but I would like the profession, as a whole, to consider the matter and examine it dispassionately. After all, we are all burdened with the present contribution to the Compensation Fund and if these certificates would help to forestall claims on the Fund they would, in the long run, lighten the burden on each individual solicitor. I would, therefore, suggest that you gentlemen and the Bar Associations throughout the country keep this matter before you and if any of the Bar Associations are satisfied that a majority of their members would favour the introduction of account ants certificates in accordance with the sections that they should notify Mr. Plunkett so that the Council can keep in touch with the feelings of the profession. There may be divided counsels now but, as time passes, more people may come to see advantages to themselves in having these certificates and, if so, we, on the Council, should know about it. The president then proposed and Mr. Lanigan seconded the adoption of the report. The following members spoke to the president's address : Messrs. T. D. McLoughlin, J. C. Daly and R. J. Tierney. The motion for the adoption of the report was carried unanimously. On the motion of Mr. T. A. O'Reilly the president vacated the chair which was taken by Mr. Lanigan, vice-president. Mr. O'Reilly then proposed a vote of thanks to the president for his distinguished services to the profession during his year of office. The motion was carried with general acclamation, There was no further business. . V 57