The Gazette 1967/71

Four Courts. The following members were ap pointed to the committee : Peter D. M. Prentice, Bruce St. J. Blake, P. C. Moore, Norman Spend- love, Desmond Moran. The question of suitable housing for the Society's law school was also considered and several suggestions as to alternative sites were considered. A sub-committee of the finance committee of the council is at present looking into the suitability of suggested alternative sites and it is hoped that a report will be available for the next council meet ing- Silver Jubilee The President having taken the chair and before the commencement of business the President drew the Council's attention to the fact that his was the twenty-fifth anniversary of the appointment of Eric A. Plunkett to the position of Secretary of the Society and the President said that a great debt of gratitude was due by the Society to Mr. Plunkett for his endeavours over the years. The President also expressed his own personal grati tude for the assistance which he had received from the Secretary during his own year of office. To mark the occasion and as a token of appre ciation an inscribed silver plate was then pre sented to the Secretary. GENERAL MEETING An ordinary general meeting was held in The Library, Solicitors Buildings, Four Courts, Dublin, on Thursday, 23rd May 1968. The President took the chair at 2.30. The notice convening the meet ing was by permission taken as read. The minutes of the last ordinary general meeting held on 23rd November 1967 were read, confirmed and signed. The following were appointed as scrutineers of the ballot for the Council for the year 1968-69 : Alexander J. McDonald, Roderick J. Tierney, Brendan P. McCormack, Thomas Jackson and Laurence J. Branigan. The resignation of G. R. McC. Blakeney on the grounds of ill health was accepted. The Secretary was directed to convey to Mr. Blakeney the Society's regret at his retirement. The President addressing the meeting said : THE MINISTER FOR JUSTICE During the half year we have had the great pleasure of seeing our colleague, Micheal 6 Morain appointed to the post of Minister for Justice. Mr. O Morain will bring to his office not only the experience of a very successful Minister but also his experience as a practising solicitor. There can be no doubt that under his guidance we can look forward to the successful accomplishment of a pro gramme of development of our legal system and mach­

inery particularly on the practical side which will be (if the highest public value. I should like to take this oppor tunity of assuring the Minister in public as I have already done privately that in the achievement of that purpose he will have the full co-operation and support of this profession collectively and individually. It is my desire and I am sure it is yours that there should be the most intimate and cordial co-operation in all fields between the Minister and his Department on one hand and this profession and the Council of the Law Society on the other. While co-operation being the opposite of contention and strife is always a good thing this co-operation should be particularly fruitful because, on the one hand, the Minister's Department have at their disposal research facilities, statistical information and highly trained and experienced personnel. The pro fession on the other hand has a wide and intimate practical knowledge of the working of the legal system and the requirements of the people and the combination of these two cannot but be beneficial. INTERNATIONAL BAR ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE As, of course, you are aware the biennial meeting of the International Bar Association will be held in Dublin at Ballsbridge in July. I am sure you will agree with me that it is a great honour for a small country like ours to be chosen to provide a venue for so important an occa sion. It will be attended by distinguished lawyers from all over the world as far away as Australia, New Zealand, South America, United States and almost all the coun tries of western Europe. The President has very kindly agreed to grace the opening of the conference with his presence and U Thant, the Secretary of the United Nations, will address the general meeting. We feel this to be a very great responsibility because we are repre senting not only the lawyers of the country but the whole country and its reputation and prestige are in our re sponsibility. It is of the utmost importance, therefore, that the conference should be run with the maximum of efficiency and that the hospitality afforded should leave nothing to be desired, either in its quality or warmth. I am glad to say that since the conference was fixed the Bar Council have applied for membership of the Inter national Bar Association and we are now able to enjoy the benefit of their valuable assistance and co-operation. A special committee was established under the chairman ship of Mr. John Carrigan and comprises members from both within and outside the Council of the Society as well as representatives of the Bar Council. There is also a separate ladies committee dealing with matters of special interest to the ladies and this committee also has representation on the general committee. Each member of the general committee has a special responsibility for some particular aspect of the conference. Mr. Plunkett, as Secretary, has set up a special office to deal with the business of the preparation. This work has been most onorous and I cannot speak too highly of the whole hearted way in which every member of the committee has thrown himself into his allotted task without regard for his own time or convenience. Mr. Carrigan has been absolutely unsparing of his time and energy and Mr. Plunkett as well as providing the proficient office organisation which we on the Council have come to take for granted has also been unsparing of himself in his unremitting attention to detail as well as making the most creative contributions to the work of the committee. Thanks to the energy and industry of this committee preparations are well