The Gazette 1977

GAZE1TE

DECEMBER1977

burden with regard to practice in the Dublin Circuit Court. Of particular concern are the problems of Malicious Injuries Applications and of the accummulated back-log of pending cases in the Civil List. With regard to delays in the Civil List, Mr. John Hooper met the President of the Circuit Court some months ago, who said that the hoped that the back-log of pending cases would be substantially reduced by the end of September 1977. Mr. Hooper andMr. StephenMaher duly met the President on 7th December, 1977, when it was reported that arrears in the Criminal List had been reduced to less than 400 cases, but that this had necessitated the working of 44 extra days. The President expressed his concern at continuing arrears of both criminal and civil cases and said that extra Judges and accommodation had already been requested. The sub-committee has tackled even more vigorously the matter of the Malicious Injuries Code and has gone so far as to prepare a radical Memorandum, proposing substantive changes in the whole procedure. The sub- committee's Memorandum will be circulated in due course, for general consideration, as the issues involved are so large that as many views as possible should be sought before the Association makes its submissions to "Higher Authority". The Association's Activities Sub-Committee is endeavouring to arrange a one-day Seminar on the general subject of running a professional office in these days of ever increasing overheads and narrowing profit margins. Particular emphasis will be laid on the question of "Time Costing" which clearly will assume greater and greater importance as the professional's problems increase. There is a limit to the number of hours which the normal mortal can work in any period of 365 days and already it seems clear that, having regard to the level of overheads, a considerable number of Solicitors are not earning a sufficient sum per hour to provide themselves with an acceptable annual income. If conveyancing scale fees are to be abolished, the problem will become even more acute. The Seminar should be of great practical assistance to the profession and the Bar Association hopes that practitioners will attend from all parts of the Country. There's nothing sectarian about the Dublin Solicitors' Bar Association. Two eminent lecturers from England have been invited to speak and it is hoped that an Irish practitioner will contribute a session on financial control and office management in the Irish context. The Seminar will take place on Friday, 20th January, 1978, at the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire. Application Forms will be circualted shortly. INTENDING APPRENTICES The Association receives from time to time applications from intending apprentices seeking masters. Any Dublin practitioners seeking apprentices are invited to write to the Association's Secretary requesting particulars of recent applications. 181 OFFICE MANAGEMENT, COSTING AND ACCOUNTING

negligence. If, however, the Builder sold the house to the viewer and the plaster were then to fall on the head of the viewer/purchaser, "caveat emptor" would apply and the Builder could escape the consequences of his negligence. Professor McMahon also referred to the present highly undesirable situation in the Housing Industry in which Builder/Vendors are only too prone to adopt a "take it or leave it" attitude, with regard to their houses and their legal documentation, leaving the prospective purchaser with no manoeuvrability whatsoever. In the general discussion which followed, Mr. Greene said that the I.H.B.F. was aware that its Scheme did not go as far as it might, but he felt that it was preferable to start with a somewhat limited proposal, which was capable of proper implementation, than to attempt a very much wider ranging Scheme which might be impossible to administer. A number of questioners raised the problem of what constitutes a "structural defect" and pointed clearly to the desirability of reaching some common agreement, by Statute, if necessary, on this present vexed question. It was, perhaps, regrettable that so much of the evening was spent discussing the somewhat narrow question of the building and sale of new houses. It must surely be the experience of the profession that very considerable problems can arise through the defective building of extensions, garages, garden sheds etc, none of which come within the ambit of the I.H.B.F. Scheme. In addition, the Law Reform Commission's publication covers the duties owed by Vendors and Lessors in general towards their purchasers and lessees and towards their servants, agents and invitees. However, notwithstanding the fact that little mention was made of the more general aspects of the Commission's proposals, the evening was most useful, if only for clarifying the nature of some of the present problems and bringing to the attention of a wider audience the Law Reform Commission's attempt to improve the position. WATER COLOUR PAINTING At a simple ceremony at the Kings Hospital, Blackhall Place on Wednesday 7th September 1977, the Association had the pleasure of hanging a water colour painting of the Kings Hospital. The painting by Ralph Duck, views the buildings from the far side of the open ground opposite the front gate. The painting was acquired some years ago on the suggestion of a past President, Mr. Eunan McCarron, with the hope that it might ultimately be displayed in the Kings Hospital premises. The painting now hangs in the North Consultation Room, thoughtfully provided, as Mr. John Hooper, President, remarked with a goodly collection Of books! Amongst those present were Mr. Jim Ivers on behalf of the Incorporated Law Society and a number of past Presidents of the Bar Association, as well as the present Council. The Incorporated Law Society kindly makes the North Consultation Room available to the Bar Association for its monthly meetings.

COURT PRACTICE AND PROCEDURE This sub-committee of the Association has been pursuing actively the possibility of easing the Solicitor's