The Gazette 1978

SEPTEMBER 1978,

GAZETTE

FEDERATION OF PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING, 25th MAY, 1978 Address of the President, Nuala Kernan Ladies and Gentlemen,

exerted on professional associations and on their members, I do not do so -out of any sense of fear, but because I believe that we should be clear about the world in which we work if indeed we are to put our best foot forward. And we should be clear about who our members are and what support they need. But if there was any feature of the conference which was memorable, it was the notable strength of the professions. In fact, the strength of professional associations meeting together was so apparent that Dr. Noel Whelan, our second speaker asked us not to approach Government Services as a body, but only as individual professions to relevant departments. Now I leave that piece of information with you. Dr. Whelan is concerned about improving the efficiency of the Civil Service, something we must all applaud. However, a Civil Service which has removed the possibility of creative conflict may run efficiently, but may also be sterile. Of course life would be easier for all of us or so we're inclined to think, if troublesome or seemingly discordant factors are removed. But as professionals we accept responsibility for working with all aspects of a case. The very thing we must not do is pre- judge any situation or problem, we must always approach each new situation, problem, case afresh. We aim to give of our best each time. Experience may lighten the load, but we are not afraid to face something new. Or if we are afraid, that is why we have the support of our professional colleagues in a professional association. It is that capacity for initiative, initiative within our competence, that is supported by our colleagues. Our colleagues can support us because they can identify with the values support enables us to face conflict. And very often that conflict represents an opportunity for creativity. Perhaps it's easier for an architect to be aware of the potential creativity when what is created takes a concrete form. For other professional people what has been created may seem nebulous — but it's there just the same. Now I've strayed a long way from Dr. Whelan. But the point I want to make is that contact between professional bodies and the Government, whether as individual associations or as'a group of associations must have creative potential and is therefore to be welcomed. Of course it will be fruitless if there is not an acceptance on either side of the authority of the other. Respect for the authority of the other controls the need to dominate the other. Of course the task of the Civil Service is immense. Of course their work is in our interest. And civil servants are subject to many pressures, including political pressures. But it seemed to me, I hope I haven't interpreted him incorrectly, that Dr. Whelan was asking us to be aware of the nature and strength of those pressures and to temper our submissions accordingly. Professional people are responsible people. We are aware of those many pressures. Unfortunately though, all these pressures are being experienced -negatively — 'pressure group' has a bad name. If professional bodies make submissions to the Government or the Civil Service, it will be because they believe that certain information or type of

During the past year we in the F.P.A. have had opportunities to review our understanding of professionalism and how our various professional associations support us in that professionalism. This review culminated in the conference held last month on "The Functions of a Professional Association in relation to its members and in relation to society". Prior to the conference, with the help of both member associations and several other associations the conference committee carried out a survey of the services offered by professional associations to their members. The participating associations, most of whom also took part on the conference, varied in size from a membership of 80 to a membership of 8,000. The survey brought to light much information which was what might have been expected, and some information which might be considered surprising. For instance, of the eighteen associations participating sixteen have elected Councils, ten stated that they had Codes of Practice, eleven have disciplinary arrangements, fifteen directly control the required entry standards. However, it may surprise you that the vast majority of members of professional associations are in salaried employment. If only three of the associations was less than half the membership made up of people in salaried employment and in thirteen associations the percentage was at least 70%. Not so surprising, in that context then, only five associations claimed to have Scales of Minimum charges — Not surprising when the percentage of members in salaried employment of seven of the associations were 92%, 100%, 90%, 98%, 96%, 95%, and 95%. So it would appear that the traditional understanding of a professional person as an independent practitioner belongs for many to the past. During the conference we discussed that professionalism which is our common bond. In his opening talk Bruce Reed discussed three aspects of professional work with which a Professional Association must concern itself. These three aspects are (a) the academic aspect, particularly in view of the increasing tendency for educational establishments and indeed State accrediting bodies to regard the involvement of professional associations as irrelevant; (b) the service aspect, but which the professional relates to his client, and which has traditionally been supported by Codes of Behaviour. Public expectation in this area is very high, sometimes unrealistically so. This is the aspect of professional work which comes first to most peoples mind when the word professional is used. And thirdly (c) what Bruce Reed called the collaborative aspect. By this he referred to the professional working within an institution, whether a commercial or other institution, for instance the Civil Service or a Semi-State body. While the institution needs the professional's expert knowledge, the values of the institution tend in time to exercise some measure of control over the professional. Now if I have drawn your attention first to the fact that the vast majority of our members are in fact in salaried employment and secondly to the kinds of pressures being

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