The Gazette 1994

GAZETTE

JUNE 1994

N E W S

The Sunday Business Post, for an article by Frank Connolly, entitled The Trauma of the Tallaght Two published on 27 June 1993. The judges praised the article for its "detailed examination of the facts and opinions surrounding this complex and disturbing case. The author of the article sifted through a complex set of facts, many of which are still in dispute, and explained the intricacies of the law without losing sight of the personal traumas for all concerned in this sad case." The award was accepted by Aileen O'Toole, News Editor, The Sunday Business Post and the journalist Frank Connolly. Poolbeg Press for the book entitled The Kilkenny Incest Case by Kieron Wood. The judges said "this intensely personal history of the victim's sixteen years of systematic rape and brutalisation by her father and the process by which the law, however belatedly and inadequately, came to her aid made a riveting and shocking read. The sensitivity and restraint with which the author presented this nightmarish story was particularly impressive." The award was accepted by the author, Kieron Wood, who is the Legal Affairs Correspondent at RTE.

Hogan entitled The Tomlins Want to Know Why Their Beautiful Children Died, published on 3 September 1993. The Irish Independent for an article by Liz Allen entitled I, The Jury, published on 18 March 1994. Consumer Choice Magazine for two articles entitled Anyone Cry Freedom? by Colman Higgins and Your Rights in the Family by Anne O'Carroll published in Consumer Choice in June 1993 and April 1994 respectively. The awards ceremony was addressed by Professor Brian Farrell, author and broadcaster, who said journalists and lawyers had a common concern in dealing with the truth. The President of the Law Society, Michael V O'Mahony, congratulated the winners and commented that the Law Society itself was endeavouring to be more open and transparent in the manner in which it regulated the solicitors' profession and communicated with the press and the public. He said he hoped that the competition would assist in generating public interest in law and would encourage the media to examine legal issues in detail. •

Professor Brian Farrell who addressed the Justice Media Awards Ceremony.

Six Certificates of Merit were awarded to:

The Kerryman for an article by Catherine Halloran entitled Gardai Welcome New Powers under Terms of Public Order Act, published in The Kerryman on 22 April 1994. The Sunday Press for an article by Richard Balls entitled Taxpayers Pay for Court Circus, published in The Sunday Press on 31 October 1993.

The Irish Times for an article by Dick

T o A G o r n o t t o A G Following advertisements in the national newspapers of a vacancy for a fourth legal assistant in the office of the Attorney General which stipulated that applicants must be barristers, the President of the Law Society, wrote to the Minister for Equality and Law Reform, Mervyn Taylor TD, saying that he could see no reason why solicitors should not be eligible for the position. The President pointed out that alongside the advertisement for the Attorney General's office was an advertisement for a legal adviser in the

young solicitors who would be eminently suitable to do work of this nature," said the President. The President informed the Minister that the Society had taken up the matter in the past with the Attorney General, when previous competitions had been advertised, but without success. The President said that he was now writing to the Minister since what was at stake was "essentially an issue of equality of opportunity for solicitors". The President of the Society also wrote in similar terms to Ruari Quinn, Minister for Enterprise and Employment, who is responsible for competition policy.

C O R K D O C U M E N T E X C H A N G E

O V E R N I G H T - E V E R Y

N I G H T

E V E R Y W H E R E

Now nine document exchanges in County Cork

Department of Social Welfare for which solicitors were eligible to compete. "Having regard to the description of the duties of the post in the Attorney General's office in the advertisement, 1 can see no reason why solicitors should not be eligible. Indeed, I know of many excellent

37 Fenian S t r e e t, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 676 4601. Fax: 01 676 7093 D X I Dublin

(see also Viewpoint on page 209)

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