The Gazette 1978

OCTOBER 1978

GAZETTE

8.1 The Committee continued to deal, during the year, with the many and varied problems of the huge number of apprentices that are at present in the system. Each apprentice appears to consider himself or herself unique and the administration finds it very difficult to apply general rules without continually referring matters back to the Education Committee. Personal canvassing of members of the Committee by apprentices and their masters does not lighten the burden. 8.2 The problems of numbers and the cost of the new course were matters with which the Committee had to continue to struggle throughout the year. The Union of Students in Ireland made an unprecedented attack on the Society and the Education Committee, issuing a document which contained many allegations that were wrong but which unfortunately, as is often the case, received wide publicity. The Education Committee responded very strongly to these allegations, both in meetings with the U.S.I, and at a Press Conference, where the position of the Society was very fully explained. 8.3 Our Director of Training, Mr. Laurence Sweeney, with the assistance of Mr. Harry Sexton, produced a most interesting document entitled "Estimated supply of and demand for Solicitors in 1986 and 1991". This 15-page document is unfortunately too lengthy to print in the Gazette but anyone who is interested may obtain a copy on appli- cation to the Society. This document projects on the assumption of 150 per year qualifying from now on, and including a large number of the old system apprentices who should also qualify, that the number of solicitors on the Roll would increase from 1,970 at February 1978 to 3,295 in 1986. The number of indentures registered in each of the last five years were as follows: YEAR NUMBER 1974 315 1975 401 1976 108 1977 134 1978 (200) estimate The numbers of solicitors qualifying in each of the lastfive years were as follows: YEAR NUMBER 1974 118 1975 115 1976 116 1977 162 1978 (200) estimate It is apparent that the Society, is providing for a massive expansion in the profession and that making optimistic assumptions as to the growth rate of the economy, the effect of the introduction of a full system of free legal aid in civil matters and the availability of more jobs outside the profession, either in the European environment, the civil service or .industry, there will be considerable excess capacity in the profession by 1986. In other words, if the Society's projections are anywhere near correct, a number of solicitors, probably those most newly qualified, will be unable to secure employment (this is currently the situation in New Zealand). 8.7 The universities are not without blame. In 19 72 the total university output of law graduates in Ireland was 105, whilst by 1977 this had jumped to 215, an increase of over 100%. A complicating factor is the great increase in the number of graduates of other faculties who seek to become solicitors. It seems certain for the foreseeable future that the demand for places in the Society's law school will exceed the availability of such places. 8.8 Accordingly, all prospective entrants to the Society's law school, upon obtaining their degree, will have to sit in future years a competitive entrance examination to obtain a place in the law school. However, it is the policy of the Education Committee that candi- dates who obtain entrance by such examination to the law school should succeed in becoming solicitors. 8.9 As the Society is outside the grant system operated by the Government through the Higher Education Authority, it will be appreciated that the new law school will be in relative terms expensive. The Fees Order has recently been signed by the President of the Incorporated Law Society and countersigned by the President of the High Court. The 161 8.4 8.5 8.6

EDUCATION COMMITTEE

M. Curran

Chairman

A. Bourke J. F. Buckley F. Daly W. D. McEvoy P. D. M. Prentice

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Maurice R. Curran, Chairman