The Gazette 1974

16.1 Continuing efforts are being made to improve the Gazette under the editorship of Mr. Gavan Duffy, and indeed many members have commented favourably on it. Advertising is a problem, the more so, in the present difficult commercial climate. However, members could assist by interesting client firms in the possibility of the Gazette as an advertising medium.

PUBLICATIONS

16.2 The Society, through its representatives, Messrs. Prentice, Buckley, Jackson and Ivers is playing an active role in the Incorporated Council for Law Reporting.

16.3 In addition the Society is itself concerned with the publication of suitable legal texts. The relevant Committee, with Mr. W. Beatty as Chairman has before it, proposals to publish texts on: Cases in Criminal Law Irish Property Law The Road Traffic Acts Planning Law. Some of the projects are suspended pending amending legislation, but others are well in hand.

LAW CLERKS JOINT LABOUR COMMITTEE

LAW SOCIETY REPRESENTATIVES

17.1 During the year two meetings of the Law Clerks Joint Labour Committee were held in the offices of the Labour Court, Mespil Road, Dublin. A Motion was proposed by P. J. O'Brien of the Workers' representatives: "that the present wage rate be reviewed with a view to the appplication thereto of the terms and conditions of the current Employer/Labour Conference National Agreement". After hearing arguments from both parties the Chairman asked for a vote on the motion. The Employers side did not vote and the motion was carried. A brief discussion took place on the second motion on the Agenda: "that the terms of the national agreement regarding equal pay be implemented". The Chairman suggested that it might be better for the motion to be withdrawn for the time being, and that at the end of six months the question might be re-opened. Mr. P. J. O'Brien, who had proposed the motion, agreed to withdraw it. 17.2 The Law Clerks Joint Labour Committee meetings were considered unsatisfactory by the Employers' representatives as they felt that since they were not a party to National Wage Agreements they should not be bound by them. The function of the Committee was to deal with Statutory Minimum Rates and not negotiate wage rates. Many of the Society members were left with the distinct impression that the Committee was bound by the National Wage Agreement and that the meetings were held merely to rubber stamp such Wage Agreements. 17.3 Subsequently there was a certain amount of publicity in the national newspapers con- cerning unnamed Solicitors who failed to pay their staff the minimum remuneration as fixed by the Law Clerks Joint Labour Committee. The Council expressed concern that any Solicitor should fail to pay the Statutory Minimum. However, as no specific names had been forwarded to the Law Society and the Department of Labour was not prepared to disclose names of the firms concerned the Council regretted that no useful action could be taken by them. Council was of the opinion that the individual Bar Associations, with the benefit of superior local knowledge, could help to ensure that Solicitors in their area would not pay less than the Statutory Minimum Wage. 17.4 Council warns members that failure to pay the prescribed minimum rate will leave the particular member open to prosecution. It seems clear that whereas in the past, the Department of Labour satisfied itself that the situation had been rectified, in the future it intends to prosecute without further warning in all cases of non-payment of the prescribed minimum rate. 235

Francis X. Burke Laurence Cullen Gerard M. Doyle Joseph L. Dundon P. McEntee Enda C. Gearty Gerald J. Moloney Robert McD. Taylor Ralph J. Walker