The Gazette 1967/71

ing lectures with those of the various universities still remains in spite of every effort to reduce it. It seems quite clear to me that there is no solution to the problem of education other than that proposed in the Society's Memorandum to the Commission on higher education, namely that the student will pursue his theoretical studies first and his practical studies as a post-graduate. I also indicated to you in my last address that we favoured a single law school and discussions are now proceeding between representatives of the Society, Kings Inns and the two Universities with this in view. These discussions cannot be allowed to drag on and if an early solution on those Hues is not to be obtained the Council will have to take such measures for its own students as they think necessary. Conclusion As will be seen from the report and from my preceed- ing remarks it has been a year of varied and very in tensive activity. I never ceased to be impressed by the diligence and enthusiasm with which the members of the Council do their work which makes very serious demands on their time. There are eleven Council meet ings in the vear which start at 2.30 p.m. and usually conclude about 5 p.m. but the business of these meetings are confined largely to matters of policy. You can gather from the report that an immense amount of work has to be done in committee. Every member of the Council serves on at least two of the standing committee:; but besides these standing committees there are numerous ad hoc committees such as the Public Relations Com mittee, the Kings' Hospital Committee. In addition mem bers of the Council have to serve on outside com mittees, such as Rule Making Committees and so on and of course for all these matters they have to do their homework. These activities make enormous demands on their time and energy. Members from some parts of the country attending a Council or a Committee Meeting may count on losing three days from their office. They are also subjected to no small expense. During the year I received, as did my predecessors, from these members of the Council, their wholehearted work in whatever aspect of the Society's activities was assigned to them and I am deeply grateful to them for their co-operation with me and for their patience with me on many occasions. I should also like to thank my many brethern in the Local Bar Associations all over Ireland who received me so graciously and kindly throughout the year. I would like to think that this has been a year which marks a change in the outlook of the Society. As has been pointed out many times by predecessors and others the Society is a body with two functions, the protection of its members and the protection of the public, and these two functions are sometimes difficult to reconcile. It tends to produce in the Society something of a nega tive attitude. I think in the future the Society must step over from the negative to the positive and become a promotional organisation with the service of its mem bers as one of its principal, if not its very prime object and I feel that this must in the future be the outstanding mark of the Society. To anyone of you who has not been President it is difficult to conceive the efficient streamlined service which is provided for him by Mr. Plunkett our Secretary and his staff. We are indeed fortunate in having the services of a gentleman of such great experience and wisdom and who is completely devoted to his work and the service of this profession and its members. He is

supported by a staff who the humblest are marked by unfailing courtesy and attention to duty. When I say that I am grateful to them for all the help I have received from them all during the year, I hope that they will take this as no empty compliment. Gentlemen, I have the honour to propose to you the adoption o fthe report of the Incorporated Law Society of Ireland for 1967/68. The President proposed for adoption the An nual Report which was seconded by James W. O'Donovan and carried unanimously. Motion that bye-law three of the Society be re voked and that the following bye-law be substi tuted :— The annual membership subscription shall be £5 for a member who has been admitted to the roll of solicitors for three years or upwards and £2 10s for all others 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 appro priate subscription to the following January 5th and such new member 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. Proposed by the President, seconded by James W. O'Donovan and carried unanim ously. Mr. McLoughlin suggested that a model of the Society's new building should be prepared and placed on display. The President indicated that this would be done when the plan had been finalised. Gerard M. Doyle enquired whether anything had been done with regard to solicitors' costs in legal aid cases. The President said that a memor andum had been submitted to the Department of Justice and would be discussed in due course. Eunan McCarron proposed a vote of thanks to the President for his services to the Society during his year of office which vote was carried with acclamation. The President having replied, the proceedings terminated. MEETINGS OF TOE COUNCIL 12th December 1968: President (Mr. Noonan) in the chair and later Mr. McCarron in the chair also present Messrs. Ralph J. Walker, from the highest to