The Gazette 1975

would be astronomic. While an architect had been retained to draw plans for the ground floor, it seemed to him that it would be necessary to know the cost of maintenance for the whole building. Mr. Crivon said that it appeared that no costs were being incurred by the profession to operate Blackhall Place. The profession did not have much say in the matter, and it was only equitable that members should be given particulars of the full costs incurred. The Director General said that for the past 4 months, the Council had had close discussions with the Department of Justice and with the Board of Works as to the future of the premises, but no decisions had been taken. A surplus to the Society's funds has accrued from the management of investments and from the excessive number of apprentices; these latter funds will be allotted to Blackhall Place. During the law terms, there is a heavy demand for Conference Rooms which cannot be met, and which ensures a great scope for developing the present building. Mr. Crivon asked that, in view of the cost of alter- ations to the new building which were estimated to cost £700,000, the members should receive an under- taking that they would be fully informed about further developments. The President referred to the recent resolution of the Council and stated expressly that further resol- utions on this subject would be reserved exclusively to the Council. It was essential for the Society to provide a suitable building to meet the new educational re- quirements. Mr. J. F. Kent expressed apprehension at the cost of putting the premises in structural order. The President stated that the overdraft for the purchase of the premises had now been paid off, and that, in respect of future expenditure, they did not intend to mulct the members unreasonably. The report was then passed. The adoption of the Report of the E.E.C. Com- mittee was moved by Mr. John Jermyn, and seconded by Mr. John Buckley. Mr. Jermyn congratulated the members of the Committee, and in particular Mr. John Fish, for the time they spent in drafting Reports. He regretted that the Superior Court Rules Com- mittee had not adopted any procedure under Art. 177 of the Treaty of Rome, by which a case stated from a decision of an Irish Court to the European Court in Luxembourg could be provided. Mr. T. C. G. O'Mahony complained of the maze of European Community legislation which would pro- duce a headache for private practitioners. The Report was adopted. The adoption of the Report of the Company Law Committee was proposed by Mr. Anthony Collins, seconded by Mr. Joseph Dundon and adopted. No discussion was held in degard to the Reports of the Library, Publications and Law Clerks. The Report of the Council was then adopted unanimously. A Resolution was then moved by Mr. William Osborne and seconded by Mr. Gerald Hickey to the following effect:- 1. That bye law 3 of the Society be revoked and that the following bye law be substituted:—

"That annual membership subscription shall be £10 for a member who has been admitted to the roll of solicitors for three years or upwards and £5 for all others or such sum as the Council may from time to time determine, and shall be payable in advance on 6th January in each year or on acceptance as a member provided that a new member accepted and joining the Society for the first time after 1st July in any year shall be required to pay only half the appropriate subscrip- tion to the following January 5th and such new mem- ber shall be entitled to vote at the then ensuing election for the Council provided that he shall have been a member at least one week before the date of the election." Mr. Crivon, criticising the wording said that he thought that Membership Fees should be fixed by the members at the Annual General Meeting. The President said he would put forward such an amendment, but emphasised that it was difficult to change the bye-laws often. The following amendment, proposed by Mr. Quentin Crivon, and seconded by Mr. Anthony Collins, was passed unanimously:- "That the words — 'as the members at the Annual General Meeting may deter- mine' be substituted for the words 'as the Council may determine' and that the preceding resolution be amended accordingly". The amended resolution was then adopted. A resolution to the following effect was proposed by Mr. Michael Houlihan and seconded by Mr. John Nash:— 2. That a new bye law 38A be adopted as follows:— "38A. Reasonable travelling and out of pocket ex- penses to be fixed by Council shall be paid out of the funds of the Society to the members of Council and of the Council's committees and Committees of the Society when attending meetings of the Council or Committees or otherwise engaged on the Socety's busness." Mr. Houlihan pointed out that country members had to absent themselves from essential office work, and spend at least two or three days every month in Dublin. Mr. Crivon considered it reasonable that country members should be re-imbursed their expenses. Mr. Nash said that the total expenditure under this head would appear on the Balance Sheet as a separate heading of expenditure. The Resolution was adopted unanimously. The date of the next Annual General Meeting was fixed for Thursday, 27 November, 1975. The Director General then spoke about the system of Criminal Legal Aid, and stated that the Dublin members had met the Department of Justice, and made certain suggestions for improvement. Some confidential counter- proposals have emerged from the Department and are under discussion. Mr. Crivon proposed that Mr. Osborne, Senior Vice- President. take the Chair. Mr. Crivon then thanked Mr. Prentice, the President, for the valuable services which he had rendered the Society during the year, and a resolution to this effect was passed by all with acclamation. The meeting then terminated at 4.20 p.m.

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